OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — As Omaha prepares to welcome thousands of fans to the College World Series this week, the Douglas County Health Department doesn’t want people to forget that COVID-19 is still present in the community.
"We have more cases than we had a month ago," said Phillip Rooney of the Douglas County Health Department. "And actually more cases than we had at this time last year, so it’s something to be aware of."
The county reports 192 positive cases as of Monday, and 99 are reportedly hospitalized with the virus.
Crowds will inevitably leave the stadium, hungry and hunting for a bite to eat. Local restaurants are also expecting high volumes of people. The owner of Kitchen Table near the Old Market shared how he’s trying to keep cases down.
"We want people to be comfortable in this space," Colin Duggan, co-owner of the restaurant, said. "We always have paper masks available."
Rooney said mask-wearing during the College World Series isn’t a bad idea.
"Those are still very helpful,' he said. "It’s not a silver bullet, but it certainly can help stop the spread of things.
Rooney also reminds people to wash their hands and stay home when sick. He doesn't expect the College World Series to be a super spreader event.
"Last year we didn’t see a big bump from it," Rooney said. "I wouldn’t expect to see one this year."
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