LDH reports 832 new cases; hospitalizations continue to decline
February 18, 2021
Registration now open for new flag football league in Houma
February 18, 2021
Governor John Bel Edwards announced today that teachers and pregnant individuals will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Monday, Feb. 22.
Phase 1B Tier 1 is being extended to also include support staff working on-site in K-12 schools and daycares, non-medical transportation providers and staff and people ages 55 – 64 with one or more health conditions defined by the CDC:
Cancer Chronic kidney disease
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Down syndrome
Heart conditions including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies
Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30kg/m2 or higher but less than 40kg/m2)
Severe obesity (BMI greater than 40kg/m2)
Sickle cell disease
Smoking
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Phase 1A, which began in December of 2020, includes healthcare workers at Tier 1 and Tier 2 hospitals, staff and residents of nursing homes and long-term-care facilities and frontline responders to serve as vaccinators (Emergency Medical Services, fire personnel and law enforcement).
The vaccine is currently available to any and all of the following groups:
Persons 65 and older
Dialysis providers and patients
Ambulatory and outpatient providers and staff
Behavioral health providers and staff
Urgent care clinic providers and staff
Community care providers and staff
Dental providers and staff
Professional home care providers (including hospice workers) and home care recipients (including older and younger people with disabilities over the age of 16 who receive community or home-based care, as well as clients of home health agencies)
American Sign Language (ASL) and foreign language interpreters and Support Service Providers (SSPs) working in community and clinic-based settings, and clients who are both deaf and blind
Health-related support personnel (lab staff, mortuary staff who have contact with corpses, pharmacy staff)
Schools of allied health students, residents and staff
Law enforcement and other first responders
Louisiana Unified Command Group
State and local essential COVID emergency response personnel
Some elections staff ahead of March and April elections
Edwards said so far, a little over 812,000 vaccine doses have been administered.
To receive the vaccine, individuals must make an appointment. CLICK HERE to view the list of local pharmacies where the vaccine is available.
