State resumes weekly briefings as cases rise and feds send help to boost vaccinations

Additional federal resources to boost Nevada’s vaccination rates and reverse a surge in covid-19 cases will arrive next week, according to state officials.

The announcement was made Thursday as Nevada Health Response, the group set up by the governor to coordinate and disseminate information on covid mitigation efforts, resumed weekly calls to provide the public and media with updates. The weekly calls had ceased on May 26, back when cases were trending downward.

Gov. Steve Sisolak requested federal assistance from “surge response teams” announced by the White House last week. Candice McDaniel, an administrator with the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, said Thursday the surge team would assist state and local partners with targeted outreach to unvaccinated people, as well as expanding vaccination and test sites.

Covid-19 hospitalization rates are rising in areas where vaccination rates are the lowest and steady in areas where vaccination rates are highest. Nevada officials called it the latest sign that all three available covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and they urged residents to begin or complete the inoculation process.

Read more: https://www.nevadacurrent.com/blog/state-resumes-weekly-briefings-as-cases-rise-and-feds-send-help-to-boost-vaccinations/