Beginning today pregnant women are eligible to be vaccinated in Louisiana, but some question is it safe to do so. Brooke Thorington has more
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Teacher unions are celebrating as K-12 educators can receive a COVID vaccine starting today. Matt Doyle has the story.
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The C-D-C says Louisiana suffered a 53 percent increase in drug overdose deaths between July of 2019 and 2020 compared to the previous one-year period. Matt Doyle has the story.
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As pregnant women become eligible to be vaccinated for COVID in Louisiana today, many expectant mothers question if it is safe? West Jefferson Medical Center OB/GYN Dr. Jennifer Bigelow says always talk to your personal physician first, but they are recommending it.
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COVID vaccine clinical trials for pregnant women are currently underway to gather more data. Bigelow says being pregnant puts you in a higher risk group if you contract COVID.
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Another concern among those of childbearing age is that the vaccine can affect fertility. Bigelow says there is no evidence-based research indicating it does.
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Bigelow also recommends that nursing mothers and women planning to get pregnant be vaccinated for COVID when eligible.
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Nearly half a million additional Louisianans are eligible for the COVID vaccine starting today and that includes over 50,000 K-through- 12 teachers. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter says this will go a long way towards getting education back to some sense of normalcy.
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Along with teachers those 55 and older with certain medical conditions, pregnant women, and an expanded class of healthcare workers also became eligible.
Carter says even with vaccinating teachers education won’t return to normal until the pandemic ends, but this does help facilitate more in-person teaching.
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The LFT has been lobbying state leaders to give teachers access to the vaccine as early as last December.
Carter says now that teachers are eligible the next step is making sure they are getting vaccinated.
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State Superintendant of Education Cade Brumley says teachers will not be required to take the vaccine.
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Louisiana suffered the nation’s largest spike in drug overdose deaths in the period between July 2019 and July 2020. That’s according to data from the C-D-C. Jefferson Parish Coroner Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich says the state’s drug overdose death number has been rising the last seven years, despite optimism it would slow.
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Louisiana now has the 8th highest rate of overdose deaths in the nation at 37 per 100,000. West Virginia leads the nation at 62 per 100,000.
It was a 53 percent increase in overdose deaths, 1,720 in total. Cvitanovich says it was largely driven by increased use of opiates like Fentanil and its concentrated form Carfentanil.
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South Carolina saw the next highest spike in the nation at only 43 percent.
Cvitanovich says there’s a lot that’s being done to fight the addiction epidemic domestically but it’s still pouring into the US from Mexico and China.
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One lawmaker is hoping to change the state motto in the next legislative session. St. Tammany Parish Representative Richard Nelson wants “We Live and Die for Those We Love,” to be the new state proverb.
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Nelson says the current state motto of “Union, Justice and Confidence” is not very well known even though it appears on the state flag.
Nelson says he was first intrigued by the slogan “We Live and Die for Those We Love” when it appeared on his law degree. He has since found it on state landmarks.
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Nelson hopes if the new motto is adopted that it’s gradually phased into use and that current displays of “Union, Justice and Confidence” remain intact.
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Nelson says it’s only appropriate when new state buildings are constructed that the motto be used, and current structures are not altered.
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For the first time since 1994, the LSU men’s basketball team hit the century mark in an SEC game as the Bayou Bengals blew out Auburn 104-80 on Saturday afternoon at the PMAC. Five players scored in double figures led by freshman Cam Thomas. Trendon Watford had a double-double and so did Josh Leblanc who has 12 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Coach Will Wade says it was great team effort…
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LSU held Auburn to 37-percent shooting and for the third consecutive game the Tigers shot better than 50-percent. Wade says on his improved offense…
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Saturday’s win improves LSU’s record to 9-4 in the SEC and they are tied for second place with Arkansas. The Tigers are at Georgia tomorrow and Wade says it will be difficult to beat the Bulldogs on their home floor
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It was a tough day at the ballpark for the LSU Baseball team has they lost to Air Force for the first time in school history giving up three runs in the ninth in a six to five loss to the Falcons. Air Force scored three runs in the ninth as Ty Floyd and Aaron George each walked two hitters and freshman third baseman Will Hellmers committed three errors at the hot corner. Coach Paul Mainieri…
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The loss drops LSU’s record to 1-and-1 after winning the season opener on Saturday six to one. The Tigers only have 14 hits after two games and Mainieri says the hitting will need to improve…
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