Health District Asking For AppleJack Festival's Plan To 'Eliminate Potential Spread'

NEBRASKA CITY – Nebraska City expects to move to phase 4 Directive Health Measure days prior to the first weekend of AppleJack events Sept. 18-19.

30 Nebraska counties are already at phase 4 re-opening, which allows outdoor gatherings at 100 percent of capacity. It allows festivals, parades, carnivals, street dances and beer gardens. Plans for social distancing are to be submitted to the local health authority.

Grant Brueggemann of Southeast District Health Department told the Nebraska City Health Board Tuesday that he will need an activity plan for the festival.

He said Nebraska City Tourism and Commerce’s plan to spread the activities out over four weekends is helpful, but he is concerned about condensing people in  the eight blocks of the parade.

Since it would be the first parade in the area since the coronavirus pandemic began in March, it is difficult to predict how many will attend.

Brueggemann said he is interested in seeing Nebraska City’s plan to “eliminate” potential spread.

Brueggeman reported 190 cases of COVID-19 in the district over the past 30 days while in Phase 3 DHM.

In other action, Dr. Dan DeFreece of CHI Health St. Mary’s said the hospital continues to be a TestNebraska testing site from 10 to noon on Wednesdays. He said it is possible to sign up at the site, but it will go much faster if people use the TestNebraska website to register.