(Lincoln, NE) -- Lincoln is extending its Directed Health Measure that includes a mask mandate.
On Tuesday, the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department announced that the DHM scheduled to end February 11 has been extended through February 25. The DHM includes a mask mandate for individuals ages 2 and older, regardless of vaccination status. “We’re all anxious to put this surge behind us, but right now, our hospitals still need our help to relieve some of the pressure they continue to experience,” said Health Director Pat Lopez. “It’s important not to remove preventative measures too soon only to lose the ground we’ve gained. Our goal is to not have the directed health measure any longer than needed.”
The health department says that while local case numbers and the positivity rate have dropped significantly, much of the data is still higher than it was in December before the surge, and COVID-19 hospitalizations have not yet shown a significant decline.