The state capitol building will be lit up in blue Monday night in honor of Public Health Thank You Day.
Nebraska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gary Anthone says the best way to thank public health workers is to take precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19.
"The next few weeks will shape the course of our pandemic history in Nebraska," Anthone said. "Your decisions in how and when you gather with friends and family and in the community will determine whether our hospitals and our local health departments will become overwhelmed. Our local health departments are counting on you, our healthcare providers are counting on you, and your loved ones are counting on you. Don't let them down."
Gov. Pete Ricketts says public health employees have been working non-stop for months, and Nebraskans should be supportive and patient when contact tracers get in touch.
"Some of our local public health folks have received some very nasty phone calls and feedback from the public when they're just trying to do their job," Ricketts said. "In fact, we've even had to call the police in some cases because of terroristic threats. That's absolutely not acceptable or appropriate."
Both local and state contact tracers have become overwhelmed in recent weeks during a surge in new virus cases.
In the last four weeks, new cases and active hospitalizations have more than doubled, and the number of average daily deaths has more than tripled.