With the latest surge of Coronavirus hitting the Northshore hard, health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, as a new school year starts Friday, the Washington Parish School System is requiring facemasks for students and staffers.
Both Washington Parish hospitals have reported restrictions on visitors amid the new surge, which has sent many people to hospitals on the Northshore.
Riverside Medical Center in Franklinton and Our Lady Of The Angels in Bogalusa have both returned to the previous Coronavirus status.
In Covington, St. Tammany Parish Hospital reported that it has more people admitted into the hospital with Coronavirus than at any point since the pandemic started early last year.
Almost 90% of those being admitted with Coronavirus have not been vaccinated.
42% of the total population of St. Tammany Parish has been fully vaccinated and 30% of the total Washington Parish population has been fully vaccinated. That leaves way too many people as prime targets for the Delta variant of Coronavirus.
The Delta variant, according to health officials, is much more contagious than the previous form of Coronavirus. Parish President Richard Thomas and Gov. John Bel Edwards are urging all non-vaccinated residents to get a vaccine.
Louisiana is now one of the worst states in the nation for COVID cases and hospitalizations, and health officials blame that directly on the very low vaccination percentage in the state.
The rapid onset of the Delta variant occurred in Louisiana just as it seemed that the pandemic was finally nearing an end. Mask mandates and other restrictions had been eliminated or relaxed and most residents considered Coronavrus to be over at last.
The new surge occurs shortly before Washington Parish Schools are scheduled to open this Friday for the new school year. The federal Centers for Disease Control recommended last week that face masks be worn by students and staff members in all U.S. schools.
Washington Parish School Superintendent Frances Varnado announced Monday of this week that the school system will follow the statewide mask mandate announced by Gov. Edwards.
All students and staff members will be required to wear masks while indoors and on buses.
She said social distancing will be enforced to the maximum extent possible. Schools, classrooms, and buses will be cleaned and sanitized often, she said.
Schools will not allow visitors at this time.
“The safety of our staff and students is our number one priority,” Mrs. Varnado said.
