Now that we’re right in the middle of the holiday season, positive COVID-19 cases are on the rise and so is the demand for the vaccine.
“There were lines out the door for quite a ways,” Anna Kohll, co-owner of Kohll’s Pharmacy said.
In the last couple of weeks, Kohll said the number of people coming in for COVID-19 vaccines has significantly increased.
The latest numbers in Douglas County show close to 72 percent of people 12 years and up are fully vaccinated and at least 76 percent have one dose.
Kohll said that demand hasn’t slowed down since the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the COVID-19 booster shot for everyone over 18-years-old and the vaccine for kids as young as 5-years-old.
“Our phone lines have actually shut down from people calling in so much,” Kohll said.
Calling in with questions about the vaccine and about getting tested.
The Douglas County Health Department reports 734 new COVID-19 cases since Wednesday.
Kohll said she isn’t surprised with people traveling and gathering with family during the holidays.
“People testing positive, so it’s just going to continue to spiral. Especially with so many people traveling, getting together with people they haven’t seen in on people they don’t see on a regular basis,” Kohll said.
The health department also reports 253 people are currently being hospitalized for COVID-19, with nine of those being children.
“Numbers are going to keep growing unless people can kind of take care of themselves,” Kohll said.
Kohll’s Pharmacy said they will offer monoclonal antibody treatments to the public, hopefully in the next couple of weeks to help fight off the virus.