Eagles offense ready to fly following speed infusion - Philly Sports Network
Eagles offense ready to fly following speed infusion - Philly Sports Network |
- Eagles offense ready to fly following speed infusion - Philly Sports Network
- Live blog: Updates on the Coronavirus epidemic in Washington - KUOW News and Information
- Nebraska Joint Information Center Update for Wednesday April 29 2020 - kneb.com
| Eagles offense ready to fly following speed infusion - Philly Sports Network Posted: 30 Apr 2020 10:01 AM PDT Through four years under HC Doug Pederson, the Eagles offense has been relatively productive. Known best for its proficient rushing habits, unorthodox playcalling, and relentless aggression on fourth down, Pederson's offense usually grades out in the top half of the league. This includes a masterful, Super Bowl-winning campaign in which the team finished top three in rushing yards, passing touchdowns, and points per game. Although the team is still discovering themselves and solidifying their identity, the offense has already established itself as a force to be reckoned with under Pederson. One thing that has always seemingly alluded them during the Pederson era, however, was a consistent vertical threat at receiver. Pederson has maximized and made use of all sorts of wideouts over the years, but for one reason or another, his offense has practically always been void of a consistent, elite deep threat. Now, before the Torrey Smith and DeSean Jackson truthers pull out their pitchforks, notice that I said the offense has been void of a consistent deep threat. Smith, to his credit, kept defenses honest for the most part with his speed but I'd hardly consider him consistent during his short stint in Philly. He showed up in the postseason when it mattered most, no question, but his dynamic moments were too few and far between to have a dramatic effect on the offense. DeSean Jackson, on the other hand, was injured for all but three games last season and wasn't able to elevate the offense the way the team desired when they reacquired him. Dissatisfied with operating with less than ideal speed the last few years, Eagles GM Howie Roseman and the front office brass decided to corner the market and ensure that the team acquired a heavy dosage of speed. And, man, was it a heavy dosage of speed they got. Entering the draft, the team's sole deep threat was 33-year old DeSean Jackson, who, as I mentioned earlier, missed nearly the entire 2019 season with a core muscle injury. Following the draft, and an absolute clinic put on by Eagles roster engineer Howie Roseman, the Eagles now boast one of the fastest receiving corps around. In just three days' time, Roseman converted a major flaw to a source of strength when the team drafted fleet-footed wideouts Jalen Reagor, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins. They also acquired former Olympian and lightning-quick wide receiver Marquise Goodwin for pennies on the dollar in a deal with the 49ers. Once completely sapped of speed, the Eagles now carry more speedsters than a season finale episode of The Flash on CW. Expectedly, much has been made of the Eagles sudden influx of speed, but it should not come as much of a surprise. For starters, the lack of a consistent vertical threat to take the top off the defense been a sore spot in the offense since Pederson arrived. This was a frustratingly-routine issue for the Birds and Roseman has proven by his actions so far this offseason that he was sick and tired of it being a hindrance to the offense as well. After seeing his offense get put in a box or bottled up far too often for his liking, Roseman has stockpiled a slew of speed for Pederson to inject in the offense. The league is trending in the direction of faster, more explosive offenses and Roseman is making sure his championship-winning head coach is well-equipped for the adaptation. Candidly, the Eagles didn't just acquire a little speed this offseason, they not have it in DROVES. Take a look at the metrics of Pederson's new weapons. That loud sound you just heard was the speed force portal opening. The Eagles wide receiver corps just ran back in time to tell me that Carson Wentz threw for 5,000 yards and that life is great. All jokes aside though, partnered with the influx of game-breaking speed, the offense will contain layers previously unattainable in the Pederson era. And, despite operating without a formal offensive coordinator, the Eagles are confident that they have the proper offensive minds in place along with the staff and they will have no shortage of weapons at their disposal. Jumpstarted with a fresh infusion of unrivaled speed, the Eagles air raid is now primed to take off in 2020. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports  Jalyn is a 22-year old journalist from Saint Louis, MO trying to make his mark in the industry. Want to follow his journey? Follow him on Twitter at @JustJalyn_ or contact him at jsmoot80@gmail.com  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Live blog: Updates on the Coronavirus epidemic in Washington - KUOW News and Information Posted: 26 Apr 2020 12:00 AM PDT  THURSDAY, APRIL 30Everett Cares Grant Program 9:55 a.m. -- The city of Everett will start accepting applications Thursday for the new Everett Cares Grant Program. It's designed to help small businesses hurt by the coronavirus crisis. A total of 50 grants of $10,000 will be handed out. Businesses can begin applying at 5 p.m. Thursday. --Angela King Outbreak of Covid-19 at state veterans home 9:30 a.m. -- At least 36 residents of the Spokane Veterans Home have tested positive for coronavirus. At the state's three other veterans homes, there's been only one positive case. It's the largest outbreak at any of the state's four veterans homes, and the biggest of any long-term care facility in Spokane. The outbreak began after an employee tested positive and then treated two residents who died from Covid-19. But Dr. Robert Fischer who directs Spokane's federal VA hospital, says the state-run home did nothing wrong. "What long term home is fully prepared for a pandemic?" Fischer said. "I looked it up. I think the last one was in 1957. This one is relatively deadly, as you know, and tends to affect elderly people. So no one is perfectly prepared." The hospital was asked to take the residents two weeks ago, after an infectious disease team from MultiCare and the county's public health officer recommended the move. To prepare, the hospital doubled the number of beds it has, to 140, and tripled its intensive care capacity to 12 beds. Fischer said the patients ages 77 to 96, aren't showing signs of Covid-19. They won't return to the veterans home until they've had two negative tests, 24 hours apart. --Nick Deshais More Covid-19 deaths forecast for Washington state 9 a.m. -- A new forecast model out this week is predicting an increase in the total number of Covid-19 deaths in Washington state. Professor Theo Vos at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington says their forecasts are constantly updated based on information from around the world. "By having more experience with places that have gone past the peak we also have a better way of predicting out what determines the shape of the curve," Vos said. "That also influences then what we project going forward for Washington." The institute now expects the death rate will drop more slowly here and in other states than previously forecast. It estimates Washington will see nearly 900 total deaths by late May. Other models are predicting even higher numbers. --David Hyde Contact tracing? There's an app for that 8 a.m. -- A team of University of Washington researchers and Microsoft volunteers have built a smart-phone app to help with contact-tracing efforts. It's called Covid-Safe. UW professor Sham Kakede is leading the effort. "Your phone can give you a message that you might be exposed. Coordinating with local public health services, it can suggest getting a test, or various next steps." Kakede says the app traces potential exposures to Covid-19, while maintaining your anonymity. And he stresses the only way technology like the Covid-Safe app can work is if extensive testing is made available in the United States. He says countries like South Korea and Singapore have used the combination of testing and contact tracing with high degrees of success. --John O'Brien WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29Proposed payroll tax gets another look 3:30 p.m.- The Seattle City Council's select budget committee continues to look at the possibility of a payroll tax to help small businesses that are struggling due to the coronavirus shutdown. The proposal, sponsored by Council members Kshama Sawant and Tammy Morales, would tax companies with annual payrolls of $7 million dollars or more. Molly Moon, founder and CEO of Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream, told council members she supports the policy. But she's concerned about divisive language. She says talking about the proposal in a more unifying way would be more effective. "I have friends who work at Amazon and they also think Amazon should pay more taxes," said Moon. "Many of my customers work at Amazon. But I think we can invite large companies to help be a solution to the city where they want to be and operate." If approved, the tax would take effect in June. It's estimated to raise more than $500,000 million in revenue each year. The city is facing a $300 million shortfall because of the pandemic. Mayor Jenny Durkan has said a payroll tax won't solve that gap. She says it's unrealistic to expect funds to be available when people need them most. -Ruby de Luna Zillow employees allowed to work from home until end of 2020 9:14 a.m. -- Zillow employees will have the option to work remotely through the rest of the year, regardless of whether businesses are allowed to open doors sooner. Zillow's CEO Rich Barton announced the news in a tweet recently. He notes that his personal opinions about working from home have "turned upside down over the past two months," and he expects it to have a lasting influence on work. --Paige Browning Costco now requires customers to wear masks 9:08 a.m. -- Starting May 4, customers must wear face masks while shopping at Costco. The company announced the new requirement on its website saying customers will have to wear a mask or face covering at all times while in its stores. According to the policy stated on Costco's website: To protect our members and employees, effective May 4, all Costco members and guests must wear a mask or face covering that covers the mouth and nose at all times while at Costco. This requirement does not apply to children under the age of 2 or to individuals who are unable to wear a mask or face covering due to a medical condition. The company also reminds customers that wearing a face mask is not a substitute for social distancing and the stores will continue current social distancing rules. --Angela King Everett-based Navy ship returns to US with coronavirus cases 9:04 a.m. -- The Everett-based U.S.S. Kidd is back in the United States. It docked in San Diego Tuesday after a coronavirus outbreak sickened dozens of sailors. At last check, the count was up to 64 cases. The naval ship, which was the second to suffer an outbreak while at sea, will now be cleaned and disinfected. -- Angela King Washington state parks will start re-opening 9:01 a.m. -- Some Washington state parks will start re-opening next week. The parks that re-open next Tuesday are only available for day trips. Camping overnight is still prohibited. Anna Gill with Washington State Parks says that's because camping is like you're living out in the woods. "So you're doing more of your personal hygiene routine, you potentially brushing our teeth right next to somebody. So we want to make sure that we can mitigate those risks and keep people safe before we open our camping." Bathrooms will be available in open parks. Masks and gloves won't be required. And there will be no enforcement at parks making sure people are socially distancing. "If we find that a park is becoming overcrowded and putting the public at risk, we may close specific location so we're really relying on our visitors." Not all parks will open next week. But Gill says a list will be online by the end of the week. -- Casey Martin Non-FDA approved Covid-19 antibody test opens up in Seattle 8:49 a.m. -- Got around $200 bucks? Then you can get a test in Seattle to see if you've had Covid-19. Dr. Eric Friedland is an ER doctor in Kirkland who just opened an Covid-19 test center on Capitol Hill this week. He says their antibody test is about 96% accurate. But Friedland says there's a lot of unknowns with this new virus. Like, how much protection you'll get from antibodies and for how long. The test itself has not been approved by the FDA. But due to the crisis the agency allows tests like this one to be marketed without approval. King County public health makes no recommendation about antibody testing. But they do say that people shouldn't draw definite conclusions about your protection based on any of the available tests. --David Hyde Wearing a mask could eventually be required in King County 8:30 a.m. -- Some local grocery stores are starting to require customers wear masks. King County Executive Dow Constantine says that public officials are considering a broad mask requirement which could include grocery stores and buses. "There's continued debate on whether the use of non-medical masks has much impacts but I as a lay person believe that it at a minimum reduces the chance that you might infect someone else," Constantine told KUOW. Washington state is still short on medical-grade masks, and any shipments that come in are prioritized for hospitals and first responders. But once the supply catches up to demand, people could be required to wear masks in some public places. --Paige Browning TUESDAY, APRIL 28More groups prioritized for Covid-19 testing in Washington State Washington state health officials are expanding who they say should be tested for COVID-19. The new guidelines cover the list of symptoms the CDC recently adopted, such as shaking chills, muscle aches, and loss of taste or smell. And, the symptoms don't have to be severe. "Before we were really focusing testing on people who were really sick," said Dr. Charissa Fotinos who leading the state's testing strategy. "Now it's even mild symptoms, because we want to know where people are who might be infected." The Washington State Department of Health is also recommending people in a few high-risk groups be tested, even if they don't have symptoms. That includes people who live in so-called congregate settings, such as shelters or nursing homes, and others who've come in contact with Covid-positive patients. The state already recommends people in congregate settings be tested if they are symptomatic. That is, Fotinos added, as long as enough testing kits are available. Washington state is still lacking needed supplies, such as swabs, and is currently waiting on shipments to arrive from China. --Anna Boiko-Weyrauch Gov. Inslee's take 1:32 p.m. Washington Governor Jay Inslee spoke with Olympia Correspondent Austin Jenkins for TVW's Inside Olympia Tuesday morning and gave his take on where things stand.
- Derek Wang Quarantine fatigue 9:58 a.m. -- It's been just over one month since Washingtonians were asked to stay home and stay healthy. Other states have implemented their own orders. And now "quarantine fatigue" may be starting to set in. Researchers at the University of Maryland looked at anonymous cell phone data and found a 3% drop in social distancing nationwide last week. Washington ranked 17th, with just 29% of people staying home with an average of three trips per person over the last month. Another organization has also been looking at how people are moving around. Human-mobility company Unacast grades Washingtonians with a D+ for keeping their movement down. Breaking it down, some counties have done better than others. King County gets a C- and Snohomish County gets a D. Chelan County gets a B- grade. --Kim Shepard, Dyer Oxley Senator says meat plant acted too slow to respond to Covid-19 9:30 a.m. -- Washington Senator Patty Murray is chastising a meat processing plant for failing to act quickly enough to contain an outbreak of the coronavirus. A total of 34 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed among employees of the Tyson meats facility near Pasco, Wash. In a letter to the company, Senator Murray says she's heard from a number of the 1,400 employees who are concerned about the lack of personal protective equipment on the job. Murray writes that it seems those concerns were well-founded. The plant was shut down on Friday so that all employees can be tested. The senator is asking Tyson foods to continue paying it's workers during the closure. --Kim Shepard Seattle radio station cites pandemic as reason for layoffs 9 a.m. -- Seattle's classical music station, KING FM, is laying off staff because of the pandemic. That's according to an email the radio station sent to arts groups and an anonymous employee. KING FM expects to lose about 17 percent of its revenue and cites that as the reason for making staff reductions. The cuts affect seven employees, but the station says that won't affect its core programming. --Paige Browning Correction, 4 p.m., 4/28/2020: An earlier version of this story misstated the number of people being laid off. The cuts involve seven employees, and the station says core programming won't be affected. Covid-19 is slowing, but still too many cases to ease restrictions 8:30 a.m. -- Updated predictions on the spread of Covid-19 in King County show the stay-at-home order has been effective. But health officials say it's still not time to loosen the order yet. A report from the Bellevue-based Institute for Disease Modeling shows the spread of the disease is gradually slowing. But there are still way too many Covid-19 cases occurring every day in King County, according to the county public health agency. And health officials say we're still vulnerable to a rebound where transmission would quicken and a spike of people would get sick. That could potentially overwhelm the healthcare system, which has been a top concern amid the pandemic. Instead, the report urges more steps to suppress the spread. Investigating and tracing cases of the disease, for example, could help. Local health leaders want to figure out more specifics about what jobs and behaviors are putting people at risk. --Anna Boiko-Weyrauch Washington still in need of testing supplies 8 a.m. -- Washington state's social distancing restrictions will continue to stay in place, in part because the state doesn't have enough testing supplies. State medical officer Doctor Kathy Lofy says that Washington is still coming up short when it comes to having things like vials and liquid to perform coronavirus tests. Add to that -- the state has hit some snags. "We did have a quality control issue with some transport media that had come into the state, and that set us back, so those orders were canceled because we need to make sure that the supplies that we're using work well," Lofy said. The number of tests being done actually decreased too. The last count was down to 4,000 possible tests per day. The state wants to at least double that amount. Washington's stay-at-home order will last until at least May 4, but could be extended beyond that. --Paige Browning MONDAY, APRIL 27Seattle to create 6 more miles of "Stay Healthy Streets" this weekend 6:10 p.m. -- To give Seattleites at least a few places where social distancing and outdoor exercise can go together, the city has already closed nine miles of streets to non-essential traffic. "We have 2,400 miles of residential streets, and 15 miles obviously is not a huge portion," city traffic engineer Dongho Chang said. Chang said Mayor Jenny Durkan is reviewing proposals for the next round of "Stay Healthy Streets" in West Seattle, north/central Seattle, Ballard and Lake City. Advocates say many city parks and sidewalks remain dangerously crowded. The group Seattle Greenways is finalizing a proposal to more than double the 15 miles the city is planning. Oakland, California, has turned 74 miles, or 10% of its road network, into safe exercise spaces. Other uses of Seattle roads have plummeted: car traffic is down by half since February, and transit use is down 75%. Chang says it doesn't cost much to close a street but the cost has gone up: At first the city could use the "STREET CLOSED" signs from its snow emergency supply. The winter signage ran out, forcing the city to order new signs. --John Ryan Colorado, Nevada join Western States Pact 2:42 p.m. -- Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday that Colorado and Nevada are joining the Western States Pact -- an agreement initially between California, Washington, and Oregon to coordinate the reopening of their economies while maintaining safe public health practices. The pact between the three West Coast states was first announced on April 13. No specific plan has been put forth, and each state will develop their own approaches. "Coloradans are working together to slow the spread of COVID-19 and have important information to share with and to gain from other states. I'm thrilled Colorado is joining the Western States Pact," Gov. Jared Polis said. "There's no silver bullet that will solve this pandemic until there is a cure so we must have a multifaceted and bold approach in order to slow the spread of the virus, keep our people safe and help our economy rebound." "I'm honored to have the state of Nevada join the Western States Pact and believe the sharing of critical information and best practices on how to mitigate the spread, protect the health and safety of our residents, and reopen responsibly will be invaluable as we chart our paths forward," Gov. Steve Sisolak said. "Millions of visitors from our fellow Western states travel to Nevada every year as a premier tourism destination and this partnership will be vital to our immediate recovery and long-term economic comeback." The pact states that governments will use health outcomes and science to guide decisions, such as how and when to ease up on social distancing measures. It also states that vulnerable communities should be protected, and that various factors must be in place to reopen economies. Such factors include testing, tracking, and isolating. --Dyer Oxley United Nations point to Tacoma facility citing perilous conditions amid Covid-19 pandemic 12:30 p.m. -- Human rights experts from the United Nations called on U.S. officials to use alternatives to detention specifically citing perilous conditions for detainees at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, WA. Felipe González Morales is the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants. In the release, he said, "We heard that there is a lack of protective measures for detainees, that it is impossible to keep the recommended physical distance, and that new arrivals are not being put into isolation for medical observation. This raises grave concerns that the coronavirus could spread in the centre– a facility that has reported issues with providing inadequate healthcare and unsanitary conditions." The Northwest ICE Processing Center is run by a private company, the GEO Group, for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and can hold about 1,500 people. Immigrants at the detention center have led hunger strikes to protest conditions in the last few months. -Esmy Jimenez Boaters protest in South Lake Union 9:53 a.m. -- Dozens of demonstrators took to the waters of South Lake Union in Seattle Sunday. They were protesting the ban on recreational fishing during Washington's stay-at-home order. They argue they can maintain safe social distances while on the water, but it was crowding on shore, and on the boat ramps, that led the department of fish and wildlife to make its decision last month. Department heads also said certain monitoring they have to do under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) would require they conduct face-to-face interviews with fishers which could increase coronavirus exposures. Gov. Jay Inslee hinted last week that he was considering easing some restrictions on certain outdoor activities, but we've yet to receive those details. --Angela King Bellingham events cancelled 9:46 a.m. -- The Mayor of Bellingham has canceled all city-sponsored summer events through the end of August. That includes festivals, concerts, park/sporting activities and street closures, according to the executive order signed by Mayor Seth Fleetwood. Major events affected include Downtown Sounds, the Tour de Whatcom bicycle ride, and the Lake Whatcom Triathlon. --Angela King Drive-up Wi-Fi hot spots appear in communities with limited internet access 9 a.m. -- Drive-up Wi-Fi hot spots are popping up around Washington to provide high-speed internet service to people like students in rural areas who don't have access at home. Distance learning, ordering groceries online, applying for unemployment are all difficult without a good internet connection. Traditional public Wi-Fi access points such as libraries and coffee shops are closed. So at least seven public utilities in Washington are stepping up to provide an alternative. They're setting up free community Wi-Fi hotspots outdoors. The latest is Mason PUD No. 3, where Justin Holzgrove is director of engineering and utility services in Shelton, Washington. "What we picture is that people will be able to drive up to one of these designated locations, pull up to the hotspot -- and stay in their car for appropriate social distancing -- and then log in," Holzgrove said.  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska Joint Information Center Update for Wednesday April 29 2020 - kneb.com Posted: 29 Apr 2020 03:35 PM PDT 
April 28, 2020 (LINCOLN, Neb.) COVID-19 Case Updates Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Dashboard 3,374 positive tests — 20,257 negative tests — 55 deaths United States The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website: 1,005,147 cases — 57,505 deaths Globally World Health Organization Situation Report 2,954,222 cases — 202,597 deaths Johns Hopkins University of Medicine COVID-19 Dashboard 3,179,494 cases — 225,927 deaths Numbers above were cases available online as of 3:52 p.m. April 19, 2020.
State of Nebraska Updates Gov. Pete Ricketts' Office https://governor.nebraska.gov NEW At his 2 p.m. news conference today, Gov. Ricketts highlighted the need for Nebraskans to continue to refrain from large gatherings. He specifically noted the upcoming holidays of Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day as days to celebrate at home with only members of the same household. Ricketts said: "If you are symptomatic, do not go out, do not have a party. Stay home. We are still trying to slow the spread of the virus in the state." NEW Gov. Ricketts announced that the directed healthcare measures for the health districts of Lincoln/Lancaster County, Three Rivers and West Central will continue until May 11. At that time the DHM will be relaxed similar to what was announced for in Cass, Douglas and Sarpy counties which goes into effect on May 4. The changes will include:
NEW Tony Green, interim director of the division of developmental disabilities, joined Gov. Ricketts to discuss how the state is taking care of some of its most vulnerable Nebraskans. Green said some temporary changes were made to how services were delivered in light of COVID 19. DHHS will temporarily:
Complete information on the changes to the service deliver is available on the DHHS website look for information on Appendix K. NEW Gov. Ricketts also highlighted information on personal protective equipment requests across the state. He said requests should be mad through local health departments. The priorities for distribution are as follows:
NEW Gov. Ricketts will answer questions from Nebraskans about COVID-19 and its effects on communities across the state, the food supply chain and the reopening of some businesses during another live, one-hour NET News town hall meeting at 8:30 p.m. CT, Thursday on NET, Nebraska's PBS and NPR Stations. Along with Gov. Ricketts, questions will be answered by Steve Wellman, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Dr. Jasmine Marcelin, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. "Speaking of Nebraska: COVID-19 Town Hall with Governor Ricketts" will be carried on television and radio by NET. It will also be streamed on the NET website, the NET Nebraska app and on Facebook. The program will include subtitles in Spanish. Viewers and listeners may ask questions during the town hall program by calling 1-800-676-5446 or 402-472-1212. Both before and during the broadcast, questions can be submitted online at netNebraska.org/coronavirus. They can also be emailed to news@netNebraska.org or submitted to the Facebook pages for NET Nebraska, NET News or NET Radio. Questions can also be submitted via Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #COVID19Nebraska. Nebraskans can follow the latest news on COVID-19 in Nebraska, plus get information on the coronavirus disease and resources for reducing risk of infection at netNebraska.org/coronavirus. REMINDER Gov. Ricketts reminded Nebraskans to visit testnebraska.com to complete an online assessment. Test Nebraska will assess, test and track COVID-19 cases in the state. The program will help the state increase testing which is important to stop the spread of the virus in the state and especially important when restrictions are lifted. The increased testing will allow only those who test positive to stay home while those who test negative can return to work. Ricketts said the testing will be free for Nebraskans and will give the state real-time information about COVID-19. As part of the plan, Nebraskans are asked to take the #TestNebraskaChallenge and to nominate five friends to take the test. The page is now available in Spanish https://www.testnebraska.com/es. The first two sites will be Omaha and Grand Island.
REMINDER In addition, Gov. Ricketts reminded Nebraskans, that the state is on day 20 of 21 Days to Stay Home and Stay Healthy Please follow these Six Rules to Keep Nebraska Healthy
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) COVID-19 Information | DHHS News Releases The guidelines for restaurant reopening's in Cass, Douglas and Sarpy counties on May 4 are now online at: http://dhhs.ne.gov/Documents/COVID-19-Restaurant-In-Room-Dining-Reopening-Guidelines.pdf or in Spanish at: http://dhhs.ne.gov/Documents/COVID-19-Restaurant-In-Room-Dining-Reopening-Guidelines-Spanish.pdf
COVID-19 Dashboard now includes hospitalization data:
Dashboard link: https://nebraska.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/4213f719a45647bc873ffb58783ffef3 Other DHHS Links and Information COVID-19 Information | DHHS News Releases
o English o En Español (Spanish) o Thông tin bằng tiếng Việt (Vietnamese) o Informations en français (French) o 中文信息 (Chinese) o 한국어 정보 (Korean), o American Sign Language Videos Military Department NEW A total of 361 Nebraska National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are supporting COVID-19 response efforts in Nebraska. Four mobile testing teams continue to provide support to local health districts. As of April 28, the teams have collected 5,705 test samples in support of 17 health department districts across the state. Soldiers and Airmen continue to support food packaging with Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha, and food packaging and distribution with Food Bank of Lincoln. The Nebraska National Guard will be updating this album with photos throughout the COVID-19 response Department of Administrative Services A number of state agencies and private organizations have received inquiries from Nebraska manufacturers that have the capabilities to provide needed medical equipment for hospitals and medical providers. The Nebraska Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has partnered with the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NMEP) to help organize the manufacturers with these capabilities and connect them with the medical community. For manufacturers please visit https://go.unl.edu/criticalmanufacturing to register your company and list the products your company is able to produce in short deadlines. For people in the medical community that want to access these companies and order needed supplies, please contact: Doug Carlson, Chief Procurement Officer for the State of Nebraska, doug.carlson@nebraska.gov, 402-471-0972
Department of Agriculture (NDA) nda.nebraska.gov Nurseries and Garden Centers: The Nebraska Department of Agriculture has created guidance for nurseries and garden centers to help keep customers healthy and to slow the spread of COVID-19. All nurseries and garden centers should first consult with their local health department to ensure that the business is able to meet all local health department guidelines. Nursery and garden center guidance and additional agriculture-related information can be found on NDA's website at: www.nda.nebraska.gov/COVID-19.
Department of Banking and Finance The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance is extending its temporary suspension of examinations of financial institutions from April 24, 2020 to May 15, 2020. This extension will further allow state-chartered banks, credit unions, and other financial entities to continue to assist their customers in Paycheck Protection Program requests, loan restructuring, and other service items. The Department expects to resume offsite examinations in early June 2020. The Department's April 27, 2020 Statement on Examinations can be found at https://ndbf.nebraska.gov/sites/ndbf.nebraska.gov/files/about/20200427%20NDBF%20FI%20Exam%20Posture%20update.pdf
Department of Corrections corrections.nebraska.gov NDCS has COVID-19 related information on its webpage at https://corrections.nebraska.gov/ndcs-coronavirus-health-update.
Department of Economic Development https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/nded-covid19/ DED is working to inform and assist businesses during Nebraska's ongoing response to COVID-19. Information for businesses is available on the DED website. DED is committed to serving Nebraskans facing financial challenges during this time, and understands that local economic leaders will play an important role in creating regional solutions for businesses and their workforce. The department's Field Services Team is working with business leaders in these regions to address ongoing COVID-19 challenges.
Department of Environment and Energy http://dee.ne.gov NDEE has developed a COVID-19 information webpage that includes a message from the Director, links to state and federal resources, and NDEE-related issues. Webpage address is: http://deq.ne.gov/NDEQProg.nsf/onWeb/COVID Additional new items on the NDEE COVID-19 webpage include:
Department of Insurance CARES Act payments will have no impact on ACA Marketplace subsidies according to the Nebraska Department of Insurance. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, calls for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to make economic impact payments of up to $1,200 per taxpayer and $500 for each qualifying child, adjusted based on income. The federal government has announced that any money received due to the CARES Act does not need to be included as income on an application for individual health insurance coverage through healthcare.gov. In addition, payments received through the CARES Act do not impact an individual's eligibility for financial assistance for health care coverage through the Marketplace or eligibility for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). For more information, visit IRS Coronavirus Tax Relief or https://www.healthcare.gov/coronavirus/.
Department of Labor NEworks.nebraska.gov and dol.nebraska.gov There were 12,045 new unemployment insurance claims filed during the week ending April 18, a decrease of more than 24 percent from the previous week when 15,943 initial claims were filed. There were 41,727 filed in the entire 2019 calendar year. Spreadsheets showing claims data are available here and will be updated every Thursday. Initial claims are filed by individuals to request a determination of eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits. NDOL processes initial unemployment insurance claims and, if an individual meets eligibility criteria, benefits are paid for each week of continued unemployment. Claims by Industry The highest counts of initial claims were in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry (1,529), which decreased 22.5 percent from the prior week (1,973). All industries had declines in initial claims from the prior week except for Manufacturing and Transportation and Warehousing, which saw an increase of 11.4 percent and 59.2 percent respectively.
Filing a Claim Any worker in a non-paid status due to COVID-19 may file a claim for unemployment insurance benefits. Unemployment claims in Nebraska are filed online at NEworks.nebraska.gov. The NEworks mobile app is available to download for free. After filing a new initial claim, applicants must certify their eligibility every week that they continue to be unemployed by logging into their NEworks account. These weekly certifications must be completed even while the new claim is still being processed. Claim and payment status can also be viewed by logging into the NEworks account.
CARES Act The federal CARES Act created a temporary program that offers benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits including the self-employed, independent contractors, gig workers, and others (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or PUA). The act also increases the amount an individual on regular unemployment or PUA will receive by $600 for every week an individual is unemployed. All individuals who qualify will receive $600 in additional benefits for each eligible week of unemployment through July 25. Workers who have been affected by the pandemic should file a claim for unemployment. NDOL will automatically review every claim that comes in for eligibility under the CARES Act.
Department of Motor Vehicles DMV news releases
Department of Natural Resources On April 23, 125 years ago, NeDNR began its mission to safeguard Nebraska's most precious natural resource through sound partnerships, cooperation and science-based decision making to help grow Nebraska's future. Our agency continues to ensure that critical water-related information remains available (see https://dnr.nebraska.gov/.) Be assured that our staff continue to update vital information, including real-time streamgaging information, during this pandemic.
To support National Flood Insurance Program policyholders amid the COVID-19 pandemic, FEMA is extending its 30-day grace period for policy renewals up to 120 days. This is effective for National Flood Insurance Program policies with an expiration date between February 13 – June 15, 2020. For more information, visit the FEMA website https://nfipservices.floodsmart.gov/ FEMA also has some guidance on flood insurance claims during this time. It allows for the claims to be adjusted remotely without an adjustor visiting the property. Department of Revenue During the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Nebraska Department of Revenue provides guidance, direction, or pertinent public information such items may be found here. The most current information will be posted to the department's website under "Featured Information". Taxpayer Assistance is also available online and by phone, and contact information may be found here. Department of Transportation Nebraska Department of Transportation Notes Slight Uptick in Traffic Volumes April 29, 2020 (Lincoln, Neb.) — Today, the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) announced a slight uptick in weekly traffic volumes. The NDOT has been reporting traffic data since March 1st to track the impact of COVID-19 on statewide traffic volumes. For the week of April 19th through the 25th, statewide traffic volumes were up from last week's 35 percent decline but still came in at 23 percent below the 2016-2018 average. The Traffic Count Dashboard will be updated weekly and can be viewed using the following link: https://gis.ne.gov/portal/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/4473552a18f34645ad0dede3ae1105ce Percent Difference in Weekly Traffic Volume compared to 2016-2018 average
The column descriptions are as follows:
The NDOT maintains a system of 67 continuous traffic counters statewide. These are often called automatic traffic recorders (ATRs). These counters collect traffic volume and classification data 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Data is then relayed to NDOT twice per week. For more information/data about ATRs and links to the Annual ATR and March 2020 reports: https://dot.nebraska.gov/media/3811/annual-traffic-count-data.pdf https://dot.nebraska.gov/media/7569/autotrfrecorddata.pdf Lottery https://nelottery.com/homeapp/article/4220/display Nebraska Lottery players with prizes up to $19,999 are encouraged to claim by mail. Instructions for claiming prizes by mail can be found at https://nelottery.com/homeapp/article/4220/display Regional Lottery Claim Centers in Grand Island, Norfolk, North Platte, and Scottsbluff are closed to the public, but Nebraska Lottery headquarters in Lincoln and the Omaha Claim Center are open. Call 402-471-6100 to confirm office hours before claiming a prize in person at these locations. Game and Parks Commission http://outdoornebraska.gov/healthinfo/ http://magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/2020/04/a-fun-challenge-for-you-camp-at-home-nebraska/ In a proactive effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is prohibiting overnight camping at state parks, state recreation areas and wildlife management areas through Friday, May 8 and state park area lodging and cabins are closed through May 8 as well. For a list of all Game and Parks cancellations, postponements and closures, go to: OutdoorNebraska.org/healthinfo. For more detailed information about how coronavirus cancellations may affect customers, check the Frequently Asked Questions page at OutdoorNebraska.gov/covid19faqs or use the Contact Us form at OutdoorNebraska.gov/contact. Past news release are available online: http://magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/category/news/ Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NCDHH) NCDHH has the following VLOGs online relating to COVID-19: COVID-19: Educational Resources & Communication Access NCDHH Executive Director John Wyvill discusses the importance of ensuring you and your child are prepared and receiving education information during transition to remote-learning. COVID-19: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Organizations Stress Importance of Communication Access NCDHH Behavioral Health Coordinator Carly Weyers provides information on how to best keep informed with full communication access on announcements related to COVID-19. COVID-19: NCDHH Offices and Social Distancing Information regarding preventative measures to keep you and the NCDHH team healthy featuring Behavioral Health Coordinator, Carly Weyers. Nebraska Emergency Management Agency https://nema.nebraska.gov/news There is no essential staffing list maintained by the State of Nebraska for people who have jobs to perform. Individuals leaving their homes in order to perform an activity or function for their jobs DO NOT need to carry or present any letter, identification card or other paper proving that they are allowed to leave their home. Nebraska State Fire Marshal's Office The Nebraska State Fire Marshal has developed an electronic burn permit that can be used by fire chiefs across the state beginning today. It allows fire departments to review, approve and issue burn permits without having to meet in-person with those who are requesting them, thus promoting social distancing and reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission to the firefighting community. To obtain a PDF copy of the electronic burn permit, or to find out more, a fire chief can contact Assistant State Fire Marshal Doug Hohbein by email at doug.hohbein@nebraska.gov and request one. Requirements for the proper issuance and use of the permit are included on page 2 of the permit. The issuance and use of electronic burn permits will terminate 30 days after the COVID-19 declared State of Emergency has been withdrawn."
Nebraska State Patrol Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) will distribute 100,000 surgical masks to truck drivers over the next two days at several locations. The masks were provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. NSP is working with the Nebraska Trucking Association, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, and the U.S. Postal Service on the distribution efforts. Nebraska is one of eight states working with federal agencies as part of this program. The masks will be distributed at eight locations on Wednesday, April 29, and nine locations on Thursday, April 30. Those locations are:
Times for distribution vary by location. For a complete list of distribution times at each mask distribution location, visit this page on the NSP website. Nebraska State Treasurer's Office Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, the Unclaimed Property Division offices are closed to the public. Treasurer's Office staff are available by phone at 402-471-8497 or 877-572-9688 and will continue to process claims mailed into the Lincoln office or filed online.
Office of the Chief Information Officer Website Malicious cyber threat actors are capitalizing on the global attention surrounding COVID-19 to facilitate scams, distribute malware, and send phishing emails. We ask all Nebraskans to practice the following safe security habits online:
Communications platforms guidance for individuals and organizations Due to COVID-19, an increasing number of individuals and organizations are turning to communications platforms—such as Webex, Zoom and Microsoft Teams— for online meetings. In turn, malicious cyber actors are hijacking online meetings that are not secured with passwords or that use unpatched software.
Tips for defending against online meeting hijacking
For more information visit: https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/aa20-099a Public Service Commission The PSC State 911 Department is also sharing COVID-19 guidance for Nebraska Public Service Answering Points (PSAPs) on our State 911 Department webpage @ http://tiny.cc/PSAPCOVID19Guidance
Secretary of State's Office Register to vote in-person deadline May 1 – Fill out and sign the voter registration online form. Because County offices are closed to the public you can drop off your voter registration at your local county building voter box located outside for in-person voter registration. https://www.nebraska.gov/apps-sos-voter-registration/ Early ballot request form to be returned by the deadline or it will not be processed May 1 – Early ballot application must be received by 6:00 pm May 12 – Poll open and early ballots have until close of polls to have them turned in 82 percent of likely voters to vote early in Nebraska's primary election 450,000 – The number of ballots that have been mailed out 161,678 – The number of ballots that have been returned
Early vote mail-in ballot request
State Partner Updates American Red Cross In coordination with the FDA, the Red Cross, along with blood industry partners, is seeking people who are fully recovered from the new coronavirus to sign up to donate plasma to help current COVID-19 patients. People who have fully recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies in their plasma that can attack the virus. This convalescent plasma is being evaluated as treatment for patients with serious or immediately life-threatening COVID-19 infections, or those judged by a healthcare provider to be at high risk of progression to severe or life-threatening disease. To learn more, visit RedCrossBlood.org/plasma4covid.
Medical Reserve Corps and Community Emergency Response Teams Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers from both the Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa MRC and the Southeast Nebraska MRC have been cooperating to support the Three Rivers Health Department and Public Health Solutions with contact tracing and will continue to do so for the next few weeks. The Southeast Nebraska MRC is doing its part to conserve masks in the fight against COVID-19 by making their own masks. Approximately 50 masks were homemade to support their volunteers working in the field. The Central Nebraska MRC assisted in the setup of a drive-thru testing site in Kearney. The Central Nebraska MRC has also been organizing assistance to support residents at Callaway Hospital. All MRCs and CERT teams remain at the ready throughout the state and are working with their local partners to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nebraska. The MRC Unit Coordinator Leadership has been working with DHHS to help affiliate volunteers to assist in local COVID-19 responses throughout Nebraska. Those interested in volunteering with their local MRC can contact Quinn Lewandowski at quinn.lewandowski@nebraska.gov. Natural Resources Districts (NRDs): Want to visit an NRD recreation area? Check for closures and access limitations by visiting: www.nrdnet.org/recreation. NRD employees doing field work are essential workers. Landowners and the public should allow them to do their work uninterrupted.
University of Nebraska Medical Center | Nebraska Medicine UNMC experts answer questions about COVID-19 https://www.unmc.edu/coronavirus/media.html
Federal Partners Center for Disease Control and Prevention The CDC provides guidance on daily life and coping during U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)/Center for Disease Control https://faq.coronavirus.gov/ National Institutes of Health https://www.nih.gov/health-information/coronavirus Federal Emergency Management Agency www.fema.gov Rumor Control How to Help Federal Bureau of Prisons https://www.bop.gov/coronavirus/index.jsp Internal Revenue Service https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments U.S. Department of Treasury Resources for Financial Relief Assistance for Small Businesses. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Coronavirus Veteran FAQ U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Safety and COVID_19 FDA COVID-19 webpage U.S. Small Business Administration www.SBA.gov/Coronavirus
Other Resources Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 map with world case information Johns Hopkins Resource Center. Mayo Clinic information about COVID-19 COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool website World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Pandemic information Public Advice  |
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