Scam artists are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic, how can you protect yourself? Brooke Thorington explains.

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Some breweries have begun producing hand sanitizer that will be given to local doctors and retirement homes. Kevin Barnhart has more…

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In times of crisis, scam artists will prey on your emotions and wallet and the COVID-19 pandemic is no different. Cynthia Albert with the Better Business Bureau says con artists are using the phone, email and fake internet ads to sell all kinds of false goods.

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Albert says if you have ordered something in the mail already, and it does show up she urges you not to use it because it could be extremely harmful to your health.

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Another scam Albert warns of is a phishing email that says you are receiving a government check immediately requesting your bank account information.

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To report a fraud or scam related to COVID-19 call the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 1-866-720-5721 or email disaster@leo.gov. You can also check the Better Business Bureau’s website at bbb.org/scamtracker.

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It’s the first full day of Governor John Bel Edwards stay at home order. But Edwards says that doesn’t mean you lock yourself in your house, you can spend time outside in the year and playing with the kids

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Office of Public Health Medical Director Dr. Jim Hussey says to help stay sane and healthy during this period you should make a daily schedule, and keep to it.

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If you’ve had addiction issues, Hussey says now would definitely not be the time to restart old bad habits. He says if you’ve stopped smoking, don’t restart, and…

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A shortage of hand sanitizers has some local breweries and distilleries producing disinfectant. Founder of Acadiana-based Bayou Teche Brewing Karlos Knott says they just received the greenlight from the feds and started making it today.

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The brewery is purchasing spirits from a local distillery and chemicals from local suppliers.  Knott says the hand sanitizer isn’t for sale though.

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The initial batch will be 55 gallons.  Knott says the only thing standing in the way of making more is a slowdown in the supply chain.

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The brewery is known for making unique craft beers with Boudin.  Knott says once they get the product to all the first responders, they may look into making boutique hand sanitizers.

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State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon issues an emergency rule designed to expand access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Donelon says the rule means that insurance agencies must cover a telemedicine visit as they would for an in-person visit…

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Donelon says the emergency also requires insurers to cover mental health services via telemedicine to the extent they would cover in-person visits.

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Donelon says the order also waives restrictions requiring patients to only conduct telemedicine visits with providers in the insurer’s existing telemedicine network…

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Donelon says a patient will stay be required to pay a co-pay as they would for an in-person visit.

A Louisiana professor has determined the Bayou State has the fastest growth rates of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the world. Brooke Thorington more.

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The National Federation of Independent Business indicates a sharp rise in the coronavirus pandemic’s negative impact on small businesses.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

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According to a UL-Lafayette study, Louisiana has one of the fastest growth rates of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the world. Dr. Gary Wagner, Acadiana Business Economist Endowed Chair at UL-Lafayette says he compared the state’s numbers for the first 13 days to other recorded numbers of other cities and nations first two weeks.

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Wagner, who does not specialize in healthcare, has a few theories on why Louisiana is seeing a large growth of cases compared to other areas.

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Wagner says he will continue to track to the statistics and share them with the Department of Health. At first, the cases were in the single digits but then they started to double daily.

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The National Federation of Independent Business says 76% of small businesses are now being negatively impacted by the spread of the coronavirus, up from 23% ten days ago. NFIB state director Dawn Starns says of those that are seeing disruption, the biggest factor to the increase is slowed sales.

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Nine percent of small businesses cite sick employees for being a disruption for operations.

The level of concern has spiked significantly.  Starns says about 68% of small business owners are very concerned about COVID-19 compared to just 16% on the last survey.

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The state has ordered that many businesses shut down in an effort to slow the spread.  Starns commends Governor Edwards handling of the pandemic, saying he’s been great at keep businesses in the loop.

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LSU says they will only have a limited number of essential personnel on campus as part of the governor’s stay-at-home order. Interim President Dr. Thomas Galligan says only a small number of students remain on campus… 

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Some food service staff serving carry out bags and other select staff will also be permitted on campus.  

The campus is set to remain a ghost town through the end of the spring semester but Galligan says they’re willing to be flexible if the situation improves.  

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Many are worried some of LSU’s most essential staff may not be taking the field come August if COVID-19 is still an issue by them. Galligan says if football must be canceled, they will, but hopefully, it won’t… 

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The football program brought in 55 million dollars last year.  
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East Baton Rouge Coroner Beau Clark is reporting the first two COVID-19 deaths in Baton Rouge. One of the victims was a 90-year-old Mississippi resident who died at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital. Clark says the second victim was a 44-year-old female from Baton Rouge who had underlying health issues. He says she went to the hospital with complaints of shortness of breath and died on Sunday

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Clark says asthma is an underlying health condition that could contribute to serious illness and possibly death from COVID-19. Most of the people who have died from the virus have had an underlying health condition. Clark says smokers are also at a higher risk

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The state is up to 1,172 Coronavirus cases, an increase from 335 the day before. There have been 34 deaths reported and 41 of the state’s 64 parishes are reporting COVID-19 cases.  Governor Edwards says if your parish is not reporting a case that doesn’t mean COVID-19 is not present

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The governor’s stay at home order goes into effect today at 5 PM and it will last until April 12th. Edwards on why it’s so important that people not gather in groups of ten or more…

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