NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana’s COVID-19 deaths topped 15,000 on Monday, as a worker shortage blamed on the coronavirus disrupted trash pickups in New Orleans and delayed the city's resumption of curbside recycling.
Fifteen deaths since noon Thursday have brought the total to at least 15,001 since the pandemic started nearly three years ago, according to data posted Monday on the Louisiana Department of Health COVID-19 dashboard.
And the holiday weekend total of 31,161 new cases was nearly 2.6 times the Christmas holiday total of 12,165. About 1,100 people were in hospitals around the state on Monday because of the coronavirus, up from 762 on Thursday.
In New Orleans, household garbage collection had already dropped from twice to once weekly as debris piled up in front of damaged houses after Hurricane Ida slammed the city in August. Collection of paper, plastic and metal household items for recycling was suspended in much of the city as crews hustled to catch up.
Recycling was to resume this week in a large part of the city. But officials announced Monday that it won’t do so until next week.
“COVID-19 has severely impacted solid waste collections citywide, with more than 30 percent of drivers unable to work, causing delays to the scheduled New Year’s holiday collections,” a city news release said.
People waited in line at New Orleans health clinics and drive-thru testing sites for coronavirus tests on Monday, with the line at one site looping through an arena parking lot and down the block.
Monday also was the start of a new vaccine mandate for children aged 5-11 in New Orleans. The youngest children approved for the COVID-19 vaccine must now be vaccinated or show proof of a recent negative coronavirus test to enter restaurants, concert halls and some other venues in the city.
The mandate, which already had applied to anyone 12 or older, was announced in December by Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
Under the new guidelines, children ages 5-11 must have at least one dose of the vaccine by Monday. By Feb. 2, they must have two doses.
The Pfizer vaccine, which comes in a two-shot protocol, is the only vaccine currently available to children younger than 18.
Starting on Feb. 1 the coronavirus vaccine will also be included in the list of required vaccines for children to attend school, although there is an option for families to opt out of the requirement.
About 34% of New Orleans residents between the ages of 5 and 17 are completely vaccinated, compared to about 81% of the adult population, according to information on the city's coronavirus dashboard.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
