The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is moving from reporting positive COVID-19 results and number of tests “today” to providing a complete overview of results from the previous day.
The university receives data from the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department at 2 p.m. and has been reporting that total at 5 p.m. daily. All testing data received after 2 p.m. was added the following day.
This initial process showed that the bulk of daily testing was being reported to the health department after 2 p.m. In addition, updates being made to COVID-19 dashboard tallies resulted in significant increases for the previous day .
Starting with results posted Sept. 1, the university is releasing test data for a full 24-hour day — from midnight to 11:59 p.m. The reports, which will continue to be issued at 5 p.m., will include the number of positive tests and total number of tests reported to the health department for the previous day. So, for example, results posted at 5 p.m. today (Sept. 2) reflect testing data from Sept. 1.
Due to some late results, data each day may still require updates. However, the revisions are not expected to be as significant as in the previous reporting method.
The university launched the COVID-19 dashboard on Aug. 27. It includes tests completed at the university’s TestNebraska facility and University Health Center, as well as those completed elsewhere.
All data is provided by the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. The dashboard will continue to be updated daily. Total cases, tests and positivity rate will be reported in Nebraska Today on Fridays.
The university is asking all members of the campus community to use the 1-Check COVID screening app to monitor symptoms. Individuals who feel ill or suspect exposure should stay home and consult with a primary health care professional or the University Health Center.
Free testing is available from the university’s TestNebraska site, which is open weekday afternoons. The University Health Center and other Lincoln-area medical facilities offer testing by appointment. The health center testing is also open 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays.
Learn more about the university’s COVID-19 response, including public health protection measures that are in place.
