Louisiana Has Lost Months of Progress in COVID-19 Recovery Effort

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I don't have a medical degree in my hip pocket, but I do have two eyes and two ears in my head, and folks, things aren't looking good with this fourth surge of COVID-19 cases in Louisiana.

This is not the kind of news you want to hear going into your weekend. Of course, we knew that when we saw that Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards had scheduled a briefing for this morning regarding recovery efforts and the 1,500 new coronavirus cases diagnosed in the state the day before.

So what gives? This COVID-19 Delta Variant is extremely contagious. On top of that, coronavirus vaccinations have slowed dramatically. And then, there are some people who won't get the shot, no matter what. Even so, Louisiana has pulled out the big guns with their Shot at a Million COVID-19 vaccination incentive efforts. Let's just say, it's a lot more enticing than their earlier efforts like 'Shot for a Shot.'

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, along with state health experts, painted a grim outlook with regard to coronavirus today saying that we've actually lost months of progress in our recovery efforts because of current conditions. Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are now at their highest since early March 2021. During the press conference, Louisiana Radio Network reports that Dr. Catherine O'Neal, LSU Health New Orleans Professor of Clinical Medicine said, 'We only have two choices, we are either going to get vaccinated and end the pandemic or we are going to accept death and a lot of it.' O'Neal added that the Delta Variant is a way 'different beast' than the virus we saw a year ago.

Even in the face of these dire warnings, Edwards says he's not preparing to reinstate previous COVID-19 restrictions. LRN reports that his focus is on vaccinations. No matter your stance, be safe and be well Louisiana.

[Louisiana Radio Network]