Nebraska to move to Phase 2A for vaccines next week

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Governor Pete Ricketts announced on Friday that starting next week, the state will move to Phase 2A of the COVID-19 vaccination plan.

That opens up vaccines to people ages 50 to 64. DHHS said about nine health departments across the state are already in this phase.

DHHS estimates there are about 350,000 Nebraskans that fall in Phase 2A, but that about 90,000 of them have already been vaccinated as part of previous groups due to their job or high-risk diagnosis.

Following news that Iowa will open up vaccines to all adults on April 5, Governor Ricketts gave no date on when Nebraskans could expect the same. Ricketts continued to emphasize the prioritization plan by age.

“What we’re doing here in Nebraska is what we’ve been doing all along,” Ricketts said. “It’s right for Nebraska.”

DHHS stated that so far Nebraska has given just over 690,000 COVID-19 vaccines, with 22,253 vaccines administered on Thursday - a record amount.

Weekly the state is receiving just over 26,000 Pfizer, 18,400 Moderna, and 2,200 of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

DHHS said it expects to receive more Johnson and Johnson vaccines on March 29. They hope to use those does to vaccinate people in the Phase 1C category, like educators.

Addressing ongoing rumors of what has been dubbed “vaccine tourism,” or traveling to different areas to get the vaccine, Ricketts said they aren’t seeing people coming from other states. However, nothing is legally stopping Nebraskans from traveling within the state to get a vaccine as long as they have made an appointment, and not just showing up.

Ricketts criticized Douglas County during his Friday press conference, for using vaccines on telecommunicators -a group that is not included in prioritization plans that are eligible to receive a vaccine in Nebraska.

He did not have the number of vaccines used on the group but said that his office was in contact with Douglas County about what went wrong.