Panhandle Nutrition Sites Begin Opening Slowly

Panhandle Nutrition Sites Begin Opening Slowly
Image Courtesy: USAF / MGN
April 16th, 2021 | Scott Miller

The 20 or so nutrition sites in the Panhandle tied primarily to senior centers have slowly started to re-open to congregate dining for seniors.

As the pandemic has waned and some communities enter green on the virus spread risk dial, sites in Harrison and Oshkosh opened last week, followed by Kimball this past Monday.

Cheryl Brunz, Executive Director of the Aging Office of Western Nebraska, says seniors who want to take part in those dining opportunities will be asked to show proof of vaccination, but won’t be turned away if they can’t do so. “The people that have been vaccinated can sit together, and socialize like before (the pandemic),” said Brunz, “The people that have not been vaccinated will have to have the six-foot distancing between them, they will have to wear masks into the senior center, they’ll be able to remove them to eat and then back on with the masks.”

Brunz tells KNEB News the re-openings have been coordinated with Panhandle Public Health District guidance with deep cleaning of all sites now, and thorough cleaning of surfaces once a meal is over at any open sites. She noted that given the various local, state and federal guidelines and policies in place because of the pandemic and the need to take all the steps needed to protect the elderly, the process of getting each operational again is much more rigorous that just opening the doors.

Meals shifted to home delivery and take-out as the pandemic took hold, and Brunz tells us many seniors are anxious to have the ability to gather especially now that vaccines are available.

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