Many people are planning to shoot off their own fireworks with many public displays canceled this year. Brooke Thorington has some safety tips from the State Fire Marshal’s office.
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For the 4th of July Governor Edwards is begging residents not to do a repeat of Memorial Day and further spike our growing number of COVID cases. Brooke Thorington has the story.
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As more people are staying home due to COVID-19 backyards with pools are extremely attractive this summer. Chief of the CDC’s Healthy Swimming Programming Michele Hlavsa (Waav saa) says there’s no data available so far that says the virus spreads in the water.
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Hlavsa says however there are germs that can be spread in the water if the chlorine is not properly maintained.
Always keep an eye on children at the pool. Hlavsa says drowning is the leading cause of injury-related deaths in children ages one to four and never swim when you are sick.
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Usually, the State Fire Marshal encourages families to enjoy public fireworks displays versus creating their own, but most are canceled due to COVID-19. SFM Spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says fireworks are not legal in all jurisdictions and can be extremely dangerous if not done correctly and should only be handled by adults.
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Rodrigue says you should also only light fireworks on cement and away from structures.
Once you are finished with your celebration Rodrigue says to be sure to wet down fireworks after use and if you do place them in a garbage can put that receptacle away from your home.
Rodrigue also suggests you have a fire extinguisher or water nearby in case of an accident while setting off fireworks.
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Governor Edwards says our current escalation in COVID cases began almost exactly two weeks after Memorial Day and he wants residents to avoid a repeat for the 4th of July.
Edwards says the additional, unmindful, unmasked contact people made on Memorial Day helped spur the present-day spike.
The state has seen sustained growth in the total number of cases and hospitalizations over the past half month, with our positivity rate now hovering right at the 10 percent level.
Edwards says avoid any large gatherings for the holiday, and absolutely do not walk into any crowds.
New data from a study of residents in Jefferson and Orleans Parish indicates the virus is more deadly than previously thought, and that asymptomatic carrier of COVID are more infectious than previously thought.
Edwards advises against fireworks displays this year. He says if you attend one of the few public displays still happening do some from your car, but better yet…
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2K Sports has unveiled Pelicans forward Zion Williamson as the cover athlete for NBA 2K21 for Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X. Zion lands the cover after only 19 games in the league, but he’ll be getting more playtime when the NBA starts back later this month in Orlando. Zion says he’s been training every day during the pandemic, but very privately.
The late Kobe Bryant and Portland Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard were also selected as cover athletes this year. Bryant for the Mamba Forever Edition packaging and Lillard for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PS4 versions of the game.
Zion says he loves the fans in New Orleans and admits playing without them in a closed-off environment will be a different experience.
Zion says he feels fortunate to be able to not see his rookie season come to an abrupt end due to COVID-19 and feels confident in the NBA’s handling of the situation.
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NBA 2K21 is available for preorder now and will be released later this year.