LINCOLN- Even though the state has ramped up testing capacity, officials are calling on Nebraskans to keep Thanksgiving small. The number of tests performed by TestNebraska, the organization doing the majority of testing in the state, has increased by 25% in the past month. Taylor Gage, a spokesman for the governor, said the state increased testing capacity in anticipation for a surge after the holiday.
Testing capacity has increased along with some sites now expanding hours and some hiring more people to do tests at the site to speed up the testing process. The state has also added a new lab to process tests at CHI Health- St. Elizabeth in Lincoln which now allows the state to process double the amount of tests daily.
In a press conference, Gov. Ricketts said a negative test does not mean a person is immune, so the best bet to slow the spread is to lower the numbers at Thanksgiving dinner. A negative test also does not release someone from needing to quarantine for 14 days.
TestNebraska garnered criticism in the early days of the pandemic after failing to meet original goals such as performing 3,000 tests per day and more. Along with that there have also been some technological shortcomings that have forced some people's test results to be delayed by days. Even with the recent uptick in the amount of tests being requested, Nebraskans are still able to get a test within 24 to 48 hours with the turnaround for results being at an average of 43 hours.
Earlier this week 1,700 medical professionals from all practices signed a letter making an appeal to Nebraskans to take this virus seriously. Nebraska currently has one of the fastest-growing outbreaks of the virus in the country.
The letter states that UNMC has 10 units full of COVID-19 patients and will no longer be able to add more space or have enough workers to care for more patients. Healthcare workers on the frontline are "scared" and "exhausted". The letter was drafted by Drs. Christopher Miller, Thomas Marston and Daniel Hershberger.
Read the full letter by clicking HERE