The first Pfizer COVID vaccines are expected to be administered to frontline healthcare workers today. Matt Doyle has the story…

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Much like after nine-eleven when there was a rush to join the military, the pandemic has motivated many to enter the medical field. Brooke Thorington has more

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As cases surge across the state in Shreveport Willis-Knighton Doctor Jennifer Prime plead with residents to mask up and socially distance to stop the spread…

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Louisiana’s eight Electoral College electors will meet today at 11:30 AM at the Capitol to cast their votes for President Donald Trump.

The state GOP selected the eight electors, one from each of Louisiana’s six Congressional Districts and two at large candidates. Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta represents the 1^st District…

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Skrmetta was selected by the party as a result of being one of the state’s Trump campaign co-chairs.

Skrmetta says it will not take  long for the electors to cast their ballot and sign the paperwork needed to award President Trump the state’s eight electoral votes.

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President Trump won the state with 59-percent of the vote to President-elect Joe Biden’s 40 percent.

Skrmetta says barring any action by the US Supreme Court we should have an official accounting of who the next President will be today.

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Barring judicial intervention, or faithless electors, President-elect Joe Biden will win the Presidency with 306 electoral votes.

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The first Pfizer COVID vaccines arrived in Louisiana Sunday and the state will begin administering them to frontline healthcare workers today. Ochsner received 9,375 of the first wave of doses. Pharmacy Director Heather Maturin says the vials must be kept very cold to remain effective, so once it leaves their deep freezer…

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The state will be receiving 39,000 doses in total for this first week. Another roughly 40,000 Pfizer doses are expected to arrive next week.

Maturin says workers in COVID units will be the first to get vaccinated this week. She says this week’s allotment will have a huge impact.

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The Orleans/Jefferson campus will receive over 5,000 of the doses, with Lafayette and Shreveport getting 1,300 and 3,000 respectively.

Maturin says when these vaccines arrive on-site to be administered today they will be frozen solid at negative 94 degrees. She says personnel have had to train extensively on how to handle it.

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Medical schools are experiencing an unprecedented surge in applications across the country. The Association of Medical Colleges reports an increase of 18-percent, it’s a phenomenon known as the “Fauci Effect.”  Associate Dean for Admissions at LSU Health New Orleans, Dr. Angela McLean says Dr. Anthony Fauci’s leadership has inspired medical leaders of the future.

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The surge in applications to medical colleges is comparable to interest in the military after 9/11. McLean says it’s one of the positive effects of the pandemic, more young people motivated to help others.

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The surge in applications has increased the competition to enter medical school with only a specified number of slots for incoming classes. At LSU Health New Orleans Dr. McLean says the limit is 200, however, the Fauci effect isn’t restricted to becoming a physician.

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Dr. McLean recommends applicants for medical school demonstrate volunteer initiatives that show them helping improve the lives of others.

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Louisiana is in the midst of a third major wave of COVID cases and medical professionals are begging the public to recommit to masking and social distancing before they run out of healthcare capacity.

Shreveport based Willis Knighton Dr. Jennifer Prime is one of them. She says to date she has cared for 750 COVID patients and lost 92 of them.

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Prime says she’s having end-of-life discussions with people who you’d never think would die so young.

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She asks everyone to please get back to mitigating the spread. She says she drives home every day to see people coming out of packed restaurants and gyms…

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The Saints nine-game winning streak ended last night with a 24-21 upset loss to Philadelphia. New Orleans streak of holding rushers to under 100 yards in a game also came to an end at 55 as the Eagles had two players cross the century mark, Miles Sanders and rookie Jalen Hurts who made his first start at quarterback. Coach Sean Payton says Hurts played well…

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The Saints trailed 17-0 at halftime. New Orleans scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to get back in the game, but never took the lead. Payton blames himself for the team’s performance…

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The loss drops the Saints record to 10-3 and they also fell out of the top spot in the NFC standings. Green Bay now holds the number one seed with three games left to play. New Orleans Quarterback Taysom Hill threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns, but he also turned it over twice…

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It’s been a disappointing season for the LSU Tigers, but the Bayou Bengals found a way to pull off a memorable 37-34 upset victory over the sixth ranked Florida Gators in the Swamp. The wins comes on the heels of a 38-point defeat to Alabama, but Coach Ed Orgeron had belief his guys would get a “W” on Saturday night…

cut 19 (19) “…got it done.”

LSU’s maligned defense forced three turnovers, Max Johnson threw three touchdowns in his first collegiate start at quarterback and Cade York made three field goals, including the game-winning 57-yard field goal that goes down as a school record. York knew his celebration before the ball split the uprights…

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Governor John Bel Edwards says he will not make it mandatory to get a COVID vaccine nor will he provide financial incentives. Matt Doyle has the story.

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An AARP report from October to mid-November shows 476 new cases among nursing home staff in Louisiana and 17-percent have a PPE shortage. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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In the past two weeks, six people have died in fires in Louisiana, including the latest fatal fire which occurred in Lafayette Thursday night.  While the causes remain undetermined, State Fire Marshal Spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue believes unsafe heating practices could be factors.

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Last year 75 people in Louisiana died due to fires and another 70 lives have been claimed in 2020.  Rodrigue says cooking and heating tips can help keep people safe.

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Rodrigue says it’s important to have a working smoke alarm…

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Vaccine rollout is imminent and Governor John Bel Edwards is imploring residents to take it when available.  A Pew poll shows 40 percent of Americans would refuse to take the vaccine if offered. Edwards says he hopes they change their mind but it won’t be mandatory in Louisiana, and…

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The first wave of Pfizer vaccines are expected to be administered to frontline COVID-facing healthcare workers early next week. A vaccine by Moderna is expected to be approved in December as well and that will be given to nursing home residents and staff.

European reports indicate the vaccine has some side effects, but Edwards says he’s reviewed the data and there are vaccines people already take with side effects worse than this…

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Those reports indicate the heaviest side effects for the Pfizer vaccine come after taking the booster shot 21 days after you are first vaccinated.

Edwards warns the vaccine won’t be available to the general public until sometime in spring and right now we’re facing a highly concerning spike in cases.

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State Trooper Jacob Brown of Rayville has been charged with one count of Aggravated Second Degree Battery and Malfeasance in Office for allegedly using excessive and unjustifiable force during an arrest of a black man in Ouachita Parish in May of 2019. Trooper Michael Reichhardt says a lawsuit filed by the victim in October started the investigation…

Cut 9 (09) “…at that time.”

A law office in Monroe has identified the victim as Aaron Bowman. They claim Bowman was dragged to the ground and beaten senselessly during the arrest. Reichhardt says the 30-year-old Brown was assisting the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s office when he engaged in excessive force…

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Reichhardt says when the investigation determined that Brown did commit the violations, the trooper was promptly arrested.

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An AARP dashboard report indicates nursing homes in Louisiana face concerning trends.  Data analyzed from October 19^th to November 15^th show an increase in staff cases and an ongoing shortage of staff and PPE. AARP State Director Denise Botcher says community spread is responsible for 476 new staff COVID cases.

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The report indicates a staff shortage of 37-percent and 17-percent of long-term care facilities have less than a week supply of PPE on hand.

The report analyzed data before the Thanksgiving holiday among nursing homes. Botcher says an adequate supply of medical-grade PPE is vital and with only 17-percent of facilities reporting a one-week supply, she fears the worst.

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Of the statewide death total from COVID, 40-percent of those fatalities are in nursing homes. Healthcare workers and nursing home residents are prioritized to receive vaccinations once authorized by the FDA. Botcher is encouraged but knows the vaccines will take time to show results.

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