144 people hospitalized with COVID-19 including one pediatric patient says Health Department

The Douglas County Health Department (DCHD) wants to clarify the use of a couple terms used regarding doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that may be given for the third time. Individuals who are immunocompromised would get a third dose due to their medical condition needing more of the vaccine to establish a healthy baseline. This can be done 28 days after they complete the earlier vaccine protocol.

A broad number of conditions can make a person immunocompromised. Some examples are people who have or had cancer, an organ or stem cell transplant, advanced or untreated HIV infection, are getting active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that suppress the immune system. The list does not include diabetes, which was incorrectly listed yesterday. DCHD encourages anyone who is unsure if they are considered immunocompromised to speak to their doctor first.

Other individuals may soon be recommended to get a booster shot eight months after completion of their original two-dose sequence. Those are expected to become available in late September, but official guidance on those doses has not yet been provided.

Here are some upcoming vaccine clinics: Saturday: UNO Dodge Campus/Hayden House, 6533 University Drive S, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Benson Health at Lake Street Apartments, 2400 N. 34th Ave, 12 p.m.-3p.m. Farmer’s Market (Old Market), 519 S. 11th St, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Sunday: UNO: Tal Anderson Field, 2425 S. 67th St., 5:30-8:30 p.m. Simple Foundation, Miguel Keith Park and Memorial, 30th and W St., 1-5 p.m.

On Friday, August 20, the Douglas County Health Department confirmed that 152 additional positive tests of COVID-19 have been received since the last report yesterday. The total number of positive cases reported since March of 2020 is 76,217. The Health Department received no new death certificates during the past day. There have been 743 deaths related to the pandemic in Douglas County.

According to the most recent local hospital report received yesterday (Thursday) afternoon, medical and surgical beds were at 83% occupancy with 245 beds available and adult ICU beds were occupied at an 80% rate with 67 beds available. There were 144 individuals hospitalized who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, with 53 of them receiving adult ICU level care. One pediatric patient was confirmed among the hospitalized individuals. There were two additional COVID-19 persons of interest (generally waiting for test results). Sixteen individuals who were confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19 were on ventilators.