The state is offering free mental health counseling to help people manage anxiety from the COVID-19 crisis. Brooke Thorington has more.
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Crawfish farmers say COVID-19 couldn’t have come at a worse time for the industry. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Governor Edwards delivers a sober analysis of where the New Orleans area may be heading under current worst case projections…
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The Louisiana Department of Health is offering free counseling for anyone experiencing stress or anxiety from the COVID-19 outbreak. Medical Director for the Louisiana Office of Behavioral Health Dr. James Hussey says the line is open 24 hours a day with trained counselors.
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Hussey says while we are all on alert for symptoms of the coronavirus, undue stress can also cause physical symptoms that many do not realize are side effects of anxiety.
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The line is free and confidential, and Hussey says the option of phone counseling helps decrease the chances of the physical spread of the virus.
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You can call the Keeping Calm Through COVID hotline at 1-866-310-7977
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The crawfish industry is suffering major losses as the state goes into partial shutdown during the heart of crawfish season.
Vermillion Parish farmer Christian Richard says Lent is always their best time of the year, and having restaurant closings and social distancing in place at this time is painful for farmers…
Cut 7 (09) “…tp wind down.”
The industry was already seeing lower than normal demand, and thus lower prices so far this year.
Richard says large social gatherings, like a traditional boil, maybe off-limits but if you’re craving crawfish the crop is still widely available, and easy to make at home with your largest pot or pan.
Cut 8 (10) “…to accommodate you.”
Richard says if the governor wants to help out farmers, he’d allow food stamp recipients to use their benefits to buy crawfish.
Cut 9 (08) “…up more business.″
He adds it will be vital that peeling facilities are kept open so that this year’s crop can at least be frozen for the rest of the year.
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Governor Edwards warns healthcare capacity in the New Orleans area could be surpassed within the next seven to ten days under a worst case COVID-19 spread scenario.
Edwards says it is early but the region’s trajectory of case growth is basically the same as Italy’s was in the same period of the outbreak.
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Italy has surpassed China to lead the world in COVID-19 related deaths at 3,405.
The Governor says it’s an unusual disaster situation for the state to be in, because normally in times of crisis we can call on help from the outside, but now…
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Texas is reporting 278 total positive tests so far, while Arkansas has 62, and Mississippi has 50. Louisiana has 392.
New Orleans now rivals Seattle in per capita cases of COVID-19, and Edwards says the city is even beating other major metro areas in raw numbers.
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Orleans Parish is home to 249 confirmed cases.
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Three state parks are being used to house people who are awaiting their coronavirus test results. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser says the test subjects that are being brought are those from nursing homes, the homeless, and people that just don’t have anywhere else to go.
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Nungesser says the use of individual cabins is a better idea than using hotel rooms for the same purpose.
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Nungesser says all the food and supplies will be furnished to those at state parks will be furnished by officials.
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