Governor Edwards wants Louisianans’ to keep their Labor Day celebrations as small as possible to mitigate the spread to COVID this year. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Brooke Thorington”
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A House committee meets this morning to discuss the future of fall high school sports. Matt Doyle spoke with the Committee Chairman…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”
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The first round of findings from a clinical trial using nitric oxide therapy on COVID-19 patients is showing encouraging results. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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As many make plans for Labor Day Weekend Governor John Bel Edwards implores citizens of the state to remain diligent when it comes to social distancing so the state will continue to see a decline in COVID-19 cases numbers. In the past, two weeks after holiday gatherings the state has seen a spike in cases.
Cut 4 (11)“ …away from them.”
Labor Day weekend is also the first-weekend many college students will be returning home for the first time. College students also fall into the age group with the highest growing number of COVID-19 case numbers. Even the governor takes precautions with his own college freshman.
Cut 5 (10) “…to do that.”
Edwards says while traditionally many choose to cookout with family and friends for Labor Day he wants to remind everyone to protect those who are most vulnerable like those over the age of 65 and…
Cut 6 (11) “…mindful of that.”
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The House Education Committee meets this morning with a session laser-focused on the future of fall high school athletics.
Chairman Ray Garofalo says the committee has been working with the LHSAA, BESE, the Department of Health, and other stakeholders to set a firm date for when contact practices and games can resume.
Cut 7 (10) “…right now”
The high school football season is tentatively set to begin October 8th, and there’s a push to restart contact practices on September 11th.
Garofalo says the biggest stumbling block for resuming sports has been concerns over legal liability should any students or staff get COVID-19. He’s confident they can get liability protection for high school sports by addressing legislation passed at the end of the special session.
Cut 8 (09) “…right now”
The LHSAA says under current interpretations of the law high school football is not feasible until the state enters Phase Three, and it’s still in Phase Two until at least September 11th.
Garofalo is optimistic that the meeting will pave the way for turning back on those Friday Night Lights.
Cut 9 (08) “…as well.”
The meeting is set to begin at 9 AM this morning.
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LSU Health Shreveport is reporting encouraging results from the first round of findings in its participation in a clinical trial trying to determine if nitric oxide can treat COVID-19 patients with mild and moderate symptoms. Principal investigator at LSU Health Shreveport, Dr. Keith Scott…
Cut 10 (11) “…it’s been administered.”
Nitric oxide has been used for 25 years in children with respiratory failure and in the last 15 years, it’s been shown to be impactful in adults as well.
Scott says this study was inspired by the use of nitric oxide during the SARS-COV 1 outbreak since the genetic variability is very similar between that virus and the current one.
Cut 11 (11) “…the lung itself.”
More is needed to be done in the study of the therapy. There are still some seriously ill patients being treated with the gas daily as part of the study.
Many hospitals already have nitric oxide on hand and Scott says if the therapy is given the overall greenlight, that means the treatment could be available instantly.
Cut 12 (08) “…to deliver it.”
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Facebook takes down a post by Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins for threatening to shoot armed protestors that come to Lafayette. LSU Shreveport Poli Sci Professor Jeff Sadow says the post is Clay Higgins being Clay Higgins.
Cut 13 (13) “…for Congressman Higgins.”
Higgins posted pictures of an armed black militia group indicating that if they came to the state to protest, he would “drop any ten of you where you stand” and “if you show up like this, you won’t walk away.”
Sadow says social media giants started coming down on controversial posts like this from politicians several years ago after one particularly traumatic event…
Cut 14 (11) “…what they want.”
Sadow expects to see more and more inflammatory posts from politicians on social media as November draws near.
Cut 15 (11) “…to the polls.”