The more contagious and virulent Delta coronavirus variant is tearing through Louisiana, resulting in Governor Edwards issuing a statewide mask advisory. Louisiana leads the nation in case growth with 47 cases and has been designated as a “state of concern” by the White House. Edwards says the statewide average of daily cases per 100,000 residents has increased 208 percent over the past 14 days

Cut 10 (06) “…United States of America”

Businesses have also been called to review policies to limit COVID exposure and spread.
In Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins has announced his city is joining New Orleans in issuing an indoor mask advisory due to the Delta-fueled surge in COVID cases. Perkins says the return to masking is what is needed to hold back the tide of new Delta cases.

Cut 3 (12) “…lives”

Roughly 30 percent of northwest Louisiana is vaccinated and Perkins says undertaking these measures will save lives and the economy.

The National Retail Federation projects record back-to-school spending this year as students head back to class for fall. NRF spokesperson Katherine Cullen says k-12 shoppers will likely spend about 850 dollars on average while College students and their families are expected to spend about 1,200 dollars on average. Cullen says after a slump last year it appears that families are returning to brick and mortar, but some online shopping is still popular.

Cut 14 (09) “…2020″

Shoppers are also expected to spend about 300 dollars on average on electronics.

The N-F-L Network reports Saints star receiver Michael Thomas will miss the start of the regular season after undergoing surgery in June to repair ligaments in his injured ankle. Saints analyst Mike Detillier says Thomas has not been able to fully recover after injuring his ankle in the 2020 season opener.

Cut 9 (09) “…the surgery”

The recovery period will set Thomas back four months resulting in him missing several games while the Saints are looking for a veteran wide receiver to sign