OMAHA, NE — In a city update Thursday, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert says she is not considering a curfew and state officials are not considering a shelter-in-place at this time. Stothert says that city businesses have complied with the new orders and sees no need.
"Shelter in place, shut the city down, I hear that all the time," Stothert said. "I will say we are so ahead of the restrictions that we've put in before a lot of people were exposed, unlike New York City. We are so much ahead of the game. Now I will say this, if things change, we can change," she said.
When it comes to ventilators and capacity at local hospitals, Stothert says the city is still in good shape.
WATCH: Mayor Stothert and other officials provide a coronavirus update at a Thursday press conference
"We still have a good supply if more patients need to be hospitalized," she said.
According to the mayor, local area hospitals have 191 ICU beds. Of those, 98 are available. The city also has 846 medical surgical beds. Of those, 472 are available. When it comes to ventilators, the city has 231. 175 are currently available.
To help aid in low supply of blood across the country, officials ensure that people can and should still donate, without fear of contracting the virus.
"There have been no reported cases of any respiratory virus being transmitted by blood and this includes the COVID-19 virus," Weysan Dun with the American Red Cross said.
The American Red Cross has taken extra screening and safety measures themselves to ensure that blood donations remain safe and that America's medical system remains strong.
"People who donate blood are equivalent to those people that are working in a critical infrastructure industry," Dun said.
To donate blood and make an appointment you can visit redcrossblood.org.
