10:30 AM Newscast

Beginning April 27th time-sensitive elective medical procedures will be permitted under the state’s coronavirus social distancing guidelines. Matt Doyle has more.

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Rev. Tony Spell surrenders and is in the custody of law enforcement after Central Police issue a warrant for his arrest.  The warrant comes after Spell nearly hit a protestor with a church bus.  The preacher leads the Life Tabernacle Church who continues to violate the Governor’s stay at home order during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Louisiana House GOP Leader Blake Miguez says Louisiana needs to reopen its economy on a parish by parish basis, but Governor Edwards disagrees.  Miguez wrote a letter to the Governor calling on him to implement Phase One of the federal reopening plan after the stay-at-home order ends April 30th.
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Phase One allows for limited reopening like dine-in restaurants while calling for sustained social distancing and use of public PPE.  Edwards says he’s leaning towards issuing any guidance at a state level.

Nasal swabs for COVID-19 testing are now being 3-D printed at LSU Health Shreveport. The swabs, which are a crucial part or the testing kit, have been in short supply.  Molecular and cellular physiology professor Dr. Steven Alexander says the light-activated printing technique can produce medical devices which are chemically inert, sterile, and compatible with accurate testing procedures.

Cut 6 (07) “…to existing swabs.”