Increased Moderna production means the state will see a five percent increase in its vaccine allocation this week. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Camelia, Savoie’s, and Cajun Country Rice are hoping to reestablish the old tradition of red beans and rice Mondays. Matt Doyle has more.
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School leaders are calling on Governor Edwards to allow educators to be included for vaccine eligibility Brooke Thorington has more.
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The state received a five percent bump in COVID vaccines allocated to it by the feds this week compared to last week due to an increase in Moderna production.
Governor Edwards says 408 providers in all 64 parishes will be administering 86,550 first COVID vaccine doses this week, and those 65 and older, down from 70 and older, will be eligible.
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The federal government has also begun providing the state with a three-week forecast of vaccine allocations, up from a week to week forecast previously.
Edwards says he understands some are frustrated by the slow pace but the state’s hands are tied by just how much vaccine is allocated to us by the feds.
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Over 400,000 Louisianans are reported to have received at least one dose of a vaccine so far.
Walmart is now set to join the list of vaccine providers. This week 57 Walmart pharmacies will get a test batch of 5,700 doses from the state allocation. Edwards says after that…
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the 5,700 doses sent to Walmart are being diverted from the long-term care facility allocation.
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A few Louisiana food brands are hoping to inspire a new generation to restart the old Louisiana tradition of making red beans and rice on Monday.
Hayward and Company CEO Vince Hayward says the tradition dates back at least to the early 1800s. He says one reason is that it allowed families to do household family chores on Monday while a pot simmered, the other…
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Cajun Country Rice, Camellia Brand, and Savoie’s Foods are behind the Monday’s Favorite Meal Campaign. Hayward and Company owns Camellia Brands.
Hayward says keeping these kinds of old culinary traditions alive is important.
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The Monday tradition has waned in recent years as folks find it harder to babysit a pot of beans while the entire household has to go to work. Hayward says these days one of your best bets is a crock pot.
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Construction is underway on the Cameron Meadows Marsh Creation and Terracing project in Cameron Parish to assist with a marsh that has degraded into open waters. Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Project Manager Jessica Diez says it will restore 308 acres of coastal marsh habitat and 11 acres of earthen terraces.
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The area being restored is northwest of Holly Beach. The $32-million-dollar project is funded by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act, and is it a joint effort by CPRA and NOAA.
Diez says not only does the project assist Cameron Parish but areas north by adding acreage between land and sea pushing it further away from heavily populated areas.
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The project will also assist wildlife. Diez says the area is part of the Mississippi Flyway which supplies stopover habitats for the fall in spring migrations for migratory birds.
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Diez says they expected to have the project completed by the end of the year.
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Beginning today those 65 and older are now eligible to be vaccinated for COVID in Louisiana, however, some feel that K-12 educators and school employees should also be should be prioritized. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter says we owe it to teachers to keep them safe.
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Recognizing that the demand for vaccines far outweighs the supply, Carter says in the next few weeks as the state begins to receive an increase in weekly doses, the approximate 166-thousand schoolteachers and employees should be given priority.
Carter and State Senator Cleo Fields have written the Governor asking that Louisiana follow the lead of other states and allow teachers to be vaccinated.
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Carter says some teachers have made the difficult choice not to return to the classroom due to their own underlying health conditions or fear that they will carry to the virus to family members.
The constant uncertainty of students being either in or out of the classroom has also forced many parents to change or leave their jobs to ensure someone is home to care for their child.
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Carter says the Federation also plans to write and call members of the legislature on behalf of members to give them the maximum protection from the virus as soon as possible.