Omaha mask mandate 'close' to coming off

The city of Omaha’s mask mandate is close to coming off, close but not yet.

That according to Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse.

She put the mandate in place on January 12 aiming for four weeks.

Tomorrow is four weeks but the mandate remains intact, although Huse said today that the city is “getting very close” to the numbers needed to end the order.

In the meantime she had a word of caution for those vaccine opponents who are just playing wait and see with the virus.

[View Dr. Huse's comment above]

Douglas County is averaging 361 cases per 100,000 population/per week. That number needs to drop to 200 cases per 100,000 population/per week before the mandate is lifted, but it is coupled with a drop in hospitalizations—less than 85 percent for seven straight days, the last three days have all been just under 85 per cent.