LINCOLN, Nebraska (KOLN) – Governor Pete Ricketts announced on Friday that the state is moving from the “blue” to the “green” phase of its coronavirus pandemic response plan. As a result, the state of Nebraska is issuing new Targeted Health Measures (DHMs) as of 12:01 pm on Saturday, January 30, 2021. The new DHMs change some of the restrictions put in place to help control the coronavirus pandemic. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department reminded residents that changes to the State-Directed Health Measure do not affect the DHM in effect for Lincoln County and Lancaster.
The Nebraska pandemic response plan links DHM restrictions to the percentage of Nebraska hospital beds filled by coronavirus patients. The percentage is below 10% (7-day moving average), which is the limit for the state to move to the “green” phase of its pandemic plan.
The change from the “blue” phase to the “green” phase involves the following DHM change:
- The maximum capacity for closed meetings, including youth extracurricular activities, ranges from 75% to 100%.
- Meeting organizers of 500 or more people (1,000 or more in Douglas County) must still submit a reopening plan to the local health department – and receive approval – before holding their events. In addition to this requirement, there are no restrictions on meetings / venues in the “green” phase of the State plan. However, the guidance is still in effect and is recommended.
The new DHMs have updated the quarantine requirements.
- Nebraskans that have been fully vaccinated (received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine) does not need to be quarantined after close contact. Instead, they will be in the “self-monitoring” category, which involves wearing a mask for 14 days from the date of exposure and monitoring symptoms.
- Nebraskans who have recovered from the coronavirus in the past three months they do not need quarantine after close contact, although they are encouraged to monitor symptoms.
The new DHMs also change the definition of “close contact” to clarify that exposures begin 48 hours before the onset of symptoms or a positive test.
The revised DHMs are published on the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) website. To view them, go to dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus.gov and click on the “Targeted health measures” link.
Executive Order 21-02 remains in effect. It gives public bodies the option of meeting virtually by videoconference or teleconference by April 30, 2021. The full text of the executive order is available by clicking here.
A graph comparing the color-coded phases of the state’s pandemic response plan is available by clicking here.
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