Lancaster County COVID risk dial continues to lower; at-home testing kits made available

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Lancaster County COVID-19 Risk Dial has moved down into the low orange category.

This will be the first time Lancaster County has been in low orange since Nov. 9, before the surge of the omicron variant.

During the press conference on Feb. 23, Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director, Pat Lopez, announced the distribution of at-home test kits.

Testing kits are made available by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Each person will receive six testing kits, available for pick up at the LLCHD office located at 3131 O St from 8 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.

Additional kits will be sent to schools and child care centers to help monitor the spread of COVID.

Last week, Lincoln-Lancaster County dropped to the elevated orange category, the mask mandate was also terminated on Friday, Feb. 18th.

SEE ALSO: Lancaster County mask mandate ends

Cases and hospitalizations in the area continue to fall showing continued progress.

Health Director Pat Lopez said that she expects to see an improvement in COVID-19 deaths in the coming weeks.