LAFAYETTE, La. — The Lafayette Consolidated Government held its weekly press briefing Tuesday where Dr. Tina Stefanski with the Louisiana Department of Health gave an update on COVID-19 cases in the region as well how it is preparing for a potential COVID-19 vaccine.
LCG Chief Communications Officer Jamie Angelle led the briefing and was joined Stefanski who serves as head of LDH Region 4, which covers most of Acadiana.
"There is definitely a concerning increase in the number of cases that’s really accompanied by a couple of weeks of maybe not quite so great compliance with the preventative practices that are recommended and are actually required in Phase 3 of the governor’s executive order," said Stefanski.
She encouraged that public to continue adhering to the mitigation measures in place to slow the spread of coronavirus both locally and statewide.
"COVID-19 remains a highly contagious and deadly disease; that has not changed," said Stefanski. "There is a lot of noise that’s distracting and a lot of false information is being shared. But again, it is a highly contagious and deadly disease."
Stefanski also said that there seems to be good news on the way with regard to an effective vaccine for COVID-19.
"There is hope on horizon," she said. "We are hearing about vaccines from some of these vaccine trials that by as early as late this year we may start to see some safe and effective vaccines available to us."
However, Stefanski said that if a vaccine is approved then it likely won’t be available to the general public or the community at large until later in 2021, but that it’s definitely a hopeful sign.
She added that every region of the state is seeing an increase in COVID-like illnesses, however, they are seeing a very low levels of flu activity.
Angelelle also reminded businesses and residents that the statewide mask mandate is still in place and that there are still limits on the number of people allowed inside businesses, event centers, outdoor events, gatherings and churches.
He said that the State Fire Marshal handles all of those complaints and that between Oct. 25 and Nov. 10, the Lafayette Fire Department fielded 23 of those complaints.
He said that LFD then inputs those complaints into a database and that the state fire marshal’s office follows up on those complaints.
A list of the complaints between Oct. 25 - Nov. 10 can be seen below:
Angelle said that when LCG gets those complaints locally they report them to the SFM, which then decides what action to take upon that business because it is under the state mandate.
He added that the complaints are forwarded to the state because it is under Gov. John Bel Edwards' Phase 3 executive order and there is currently no local order after Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory decided not to renew his previous local order that had its own restrictions on businesses.
You can watch the full press briefing from Tuesday below:
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