Louisiana University Implements Mask Mandate as COVID Cases Surge

Health officials have confirmed a rise in COVID-19 cases in Louisiana. The CDC data shows that in June Louisiana reported a 6% increase, but now a month later on August 2nd, the rate has tripled showing a 19% increase in COVID-19 cases. According to Dr. Fred Lopez from LSU Health, the reported most patients are experiencing respiratory symptoms and fever as expected with the virus.

One out of four tests we're doing are coming back positive

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In response to the uptick in COVID-19-positive cases, Dillard University in New Orleans has reimplemented a mandatory mask mandate. This is a temporary 2-week mask mandate for students and all faculty while indoors on campus in an effort to get ahead of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases.

Dillard University informed their students and faculty via email of the mandate that officially went into effect Friday, August 25th. The Chief Medical Officer of the university wants to protect their students and decrease the number of positive cases they have been seeing in the city and not add to the recent surge.

It’s only going to be driven by the science and the numbers and that’s it. Not by emotion because a lot of times with COVID-19 it becomes political, it becomes emotional and as chief medical officer I don’t deal with those things, said Dr. Corey Hebert, Chief Medical Officer at Dillard University

Dr. Hebert told FOX 8 in New Orleans that they required students living on campus in the dorms to get the COVID-19 booster regardless of the pushback they received in response to this requirement they are taking this very seriously. He clarifies that they do not believe there will be a lot of deaths from this "COVID spike" However they do think a vast majority of people will get it because as we know it spreads fast.

What does this mean for Acadiana?

We spoke with a nurse at Oschner in New Orleans and they confirmed that positive cases are on the rise and said people who are gathering in large groups are their biggest concern at this time.

We are not back in COVID times though, People just need to be careful just like during the flu season

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Vaccinations for COVID-19 began being administered in the U.S. on Dec. 14, 2020. The quick rollout came a little more than a year after the virus was first identified in November 2019. The impressive speed with which vaccines were developed has also left a lot of people with a lot of questions. The questions range from the practical—how will I get vaccinated?—to the scientific—how do these vaccines even work?

Keep reading to discover answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions.