Louisiana hospitals are clogged with COVID patients leading to 50 facilities to formally request aid from the state. Matt Doyle has the story.
___________________________________
Louisiana’s nurses haven’t had many breaks since the pandemic began in early 2020, and now many are starting to burn out. Matt Doyle has more…
_________________________________________
The Louisiana Civil Rights Trail continues to grow. Today another marker is unveiled and on the anniversary of the beginning of a historic demonstration. Brooke Thorington has more
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
_______________________________
50 hospitals across the state have formally requested state help in getting additional health care workers to deal with the huge influx of patients coming in during the Delta surge.
State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says these hospitals have told the state that they can no longer adequately provide care for the amount of patients they are taking in.
Roughly one percent of the state’s population has been infected in the last two weeks and the number of COVID-related hospitalizations spiked faster than it ever has and now sits at a record high above 2,400.
Kanter says if you are only suffering minor symptoms or just need a COVID test, please don’t go to an emergency room.
Kanter says this health care crisis is in large part due to our 38 percent vaccination rate, and our mistakes are starting to impact our neighbors…
_____________________
Staffing shortages and a 4th major COVID surge in 17 months are taking a heavy toll on Louisiana’s health care workers, leading many to suffer poor mental health.
Louisiana State Nurses Association President Ecoee (E-coy) Rooney says under normal circumstances nursing is a rigorous, but rewarding profession. But…
Rooney says part of the burnout feedback loop is that many of the kinds of people who are drawn to the nursing profession have personalities that already make them prone to sometimes giving too much…
Rooney encourages nurses who are starting to burnout or suffer poor mental health to visit the American association of critical care nurses website for a range of useful tools an fellowship…
_____________________________________
Some people who’ve had COVID are reluctant to be vaccinated believing their antibodies will protect them, but Ochsner Health Director of Infection Control and Prevention Dr. Katherine Baumgarten says their antibodies might not be enough for the growing variants.
Researchers say while previous infections generally do leave survivors protected against serious reinfection, blood tests have indicated that protection drops against worrisome variants like Delta and Lambda. Ochsner CEO Warner Thomas says he’s even had the discussion with previously infected employees.
A recent Gallup survey indicated a previous infection is one of the main reasons COVID survivors won’t get vaccinated believing they are protected. Thomas says a CDC study offers real-world evidence disputing the belief that previous infection offers ideal protection.
_____________________________________
Another marker will be unveiled along the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail today. The newest marker commemorates the 54th anniversary of the beginning of Bogalusa to Baton Rouge Civil Rights March. Lt Governor Billy Nungesser says the 105-mile demonstration grew from 25 to 600 people before its final stop.
A.Z. Young Park is named for the man who presented a list of grievances to then-Governor John McKeithen, regarding things like employment discrimination. Nungesser says members of the Young family will attend today’s ceremony and the marker at A.Z. Young Park is the fourth of 15 to be unveiled along the trail.
The trail also features an interactive website at Louisiana Civil Rights Trail -dot-com. Nungesser says not only is the trail meant to draw tourists to the state…..
______________________________
LSU Quarterback Max Johnson says he’s not changing his mindset just because he’s been named the starter due to an arm injury to Myles Brennan. Coach Ed Orgeron is disappointed Brennan is unable to compete and Johnson says he was looking forward to the competition too…
Cut 16 (14) “…throughout the season.”
Orgeron says he wants LSU’s offense to similar to the record breaking one they had in 2019. Johnson says offensive coordinator Jake Peetz will call some plays to match Johnson’s athleticism
LSU’s defensive line should be a strength, because several starters are back and there’s a lot of depth. After recording 5.5 sacks last season, defensive end Andre Anthony is entering his fourth season and says the D-Line has grown as a group…
_______________________________________________________
COVID is still an issue as college football teams open preseason camp. Louisiana Tech Coach Skip Holtz says after dealing with several COVID outbreaks last season, he’s hoping for a more normal season this year
Cut 19 (19) “…Mississippi State”
La Tech has a big battle for starting quarterback. Austin Kendall has transferred in from West Virginia, sophomore Aaron Allen made two starts at quarterback last season. JD Head saw a lot of playing time against Georgia Southern and Luke Anthony continues to recover from a bad leg injury. Holtz says it’s too early to draw any strong conclusions…