LINCOLN- In the vaccination race against the persistent coronavirus, Nebraska will shift Monday to open up shots to anyone 16 and older.

Nebraska’s recent moves to open eligibility come at a critical time in the pandemic as new COVID-19 cases rise again and hospitalizations turn higher — portending a potential surge facing the state. Caveats and scheduling challenges remain for people eager to get their shots. But as the vaccine dynamics quickly shift, the bottom line is this: Everyone 16 and older in Nebraska has options right now for scheduling a COVID-19 shot.

Nebraska continues to show steady progress in vaccinating the state: 334,750 Nebraskans are fully vaccinated, according to Wednesday’s count from the State of Nebraska. That’s nearly 23% of the state’s total population 16 and older. On March 22, Nebraska’s seven-day daily average of new cases fell to 241, but by Wednesday, the daily average was up to 296 Nebraska’s drop in hospitalizations hit its end, as well. On Tuesday, the statewide count of hospitalized COVID-19 patients increased from 102 to 116 — a turn that Gov. Pete Ricketts said Wednesday was a cause for concern.

Dr. James Lawler, an executive director at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Global Center for Health Security, said the increase facing Nebraska has the potential to be significant, citing the experiences of Michigan and the northeastern United Sates.

“We’re still at a dangerous time,” he said, “and people need to really buckle down and keep doing the things that we know got us to lower levels of cases.”

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