COVID-19 pandemic in Louisiana
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The first presumptive case relating to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
in
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
was announced on March 9, 2020. Since the first confirmed case, the outbreak grew particularly fast relative to other states and countries. , there have been 1,454,828 cumulative COVID-19 cases and 18,058 deaths. Confirmed cases have appeared in all
64 parishes The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities is a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering the education of residents of the state of Louisiana. In its mission, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities pledges to provide access to and promo ...
, though the New Orleans metro area alone has seen the majority of positive tests and deaths. Governor
John Bel Edwards John Bel Edwards (born September 16, 1966) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 56th governor of Louisiana since 2016. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the Democratic leader of the Louisiana House of ...
closed schools statewide on March 16, 2020, restricted most businesses to takeout and delivery only, postponed
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, and placed limitations on large gatherings. On March 23, Edwards enacted a statewide
stay-at-home order A stay-at-home order, safer-at-home order, movement control order (more common in Southeast Asia), or lockdown restrictions (in the United Kingdom) – also referred to by loose use of the terms (self-) quarantine, (self-) isolation, or lockdow ...
to encourage
social distancing In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious disea ...
, and President
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issued a major disaster declaration, the fourth state to receive one. The rapid spread of COVID-19 in Louisiana likely originated in late February 2020 when the virus was introduced into the state via domestic travel, originating from a single source. The virus was already present in New Orleans before Mardi Gras; however, it is likely that the festival accelerated the spread. Numerous "clusters" of confirmed cases have appeared at
nursing home A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of elderly or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms have slightly different meanings to in ...
s across southern Louisiana, including an outbreak at Lambeth House in New Orleans that has infected over fifty and killed thirteen elderly residents as of March 30. As the state has increased its capacity for testing, a
University of Louisiana at Lafayette The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette, University of Louisiana, ULL, or UL) is a public research university in Lafayette, Louisiana. It has the largest enrollment within the nine-campus University of Louisiana System and the s ...
study estimated the growth rate in Louisiana was among the highest in the world, prompting serious concerns about the state's healthcare capacity to care for sick patients. On March 24, only 29% of ICU beds were vacant statewide, and Edwards announced coronavirus patients would likely overwhelm hospitals in New Orleans by April 4. , Louisiana has administered 3,058,019 COVID-19 vaccine doses, and has fully vaccinated 1,337,323 people, equivalent to 28.67 percent of the population. , the number of doses administered has reached 5,096,864, and the number of fully vaccinated individuals is 2,253,496, representing 48.31 percent of the population.


Timeline


March 2020


March 9–10th, 2020

On March 9, the state's first presumptive case of coronavirus was reported in the
New Orleans metro The New Orleans metropolitan area, designated the New Orleans–Metairie metropolitan statistical area by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, or simply Greater New Orleans (french: Grande Nouvelle-Orléans, es, Gran Nueva Orleans), is a me ...
region. The patient is a veteran and resident of Jefferson Parish. On March 10, state officials confirmed 2 new cases also in the New Orleans area bringing the state's total to 3, with 3 additional presumptive cases sent to the CDC for confirmation. Mayor Latoya Cantrell and other city officials announced the cancellation of weekend parades as a precaution.


March 11–13rd, 2020

On March 11, the total number of cases rose to 13, with 10 new, presumptive positive cases reported in 6 parishes, the first outside of the Orleans metro region and in the river parishes. On March 12,
Grambling State University Grambling State University (GSU, Grambling, or Grambling State) is a public historically black university in Grambling, Louisiana. Grambling State is home of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum and is listed on the Louisiana African American Heritage ...
announced travel restrictions to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. On March 13, Governor
John Bel Edwards John Bel Edwards (born September 16, 1966) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 56th governor of Louisiana since 2016. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the Democratic leader of the Louisiana House of ...
issued an order prohibiting gatherings of more than 250 people, and the closure of all K-12 public schools from March 16 to April 13, as the number cases rose to 36. Archbishop
Gregory Aymond Gregory Michael Aymond (born November 12, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He became the fourteenth archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in Louisiana on June 12, 2009. Aymond had previously served as bishop o ...
of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans ( la, Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae, french: Archidiocèse de la Nouvelle-Orléans, es, Arquidiócesis de Nueva Orleans) is an ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church spanning Jefferson ...
announced that all Catholic schools would close from March 16 through April 13, following Governor Edwards' decision to close public schools in Louisiana. In addition, the Archbishop announced that all persons were dispensed from the obligation of attending Mass through April 13, though not going as far as suspending public Masses.


March 14–16th, 2020

Early March 14, the
Louisiana Department of Health The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) (French: Département de La Santé de Louisiane) , formerly known as the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (French: Département de La Santé et des Hôpitaux) , is a state agency of Louisiana, h ...
announced that the number of cases rose to 51. That same evening, the number of cases rose to 77, with the first death being reported. That total includes 1 case where the resident is being treated in Louisiana but lives out of the state. On the morning of March 15, Governor Edwards announced that 14 additional positive cases had been confirmed in Louisiana, as well as the state's second death: a 53-year-old person from
Orleans Parish New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
with underlying medical conditions. This brought the total number of cases to 91. Later that evening, another 12 cases were confirmed, bringing the total number of cases to 103. During the morning of March 16, the Louisiana Department of Health confirmed an additional 11 positive cases of COVID-19 in the state, bringing the total to 114. Governor Edwards reported that the number of cases had risen to 136 by the afternoon and reported that a third person died due to the coronavirus.


March 17th, 2020

On March 17,
Saint Patrick's Day Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick ( ga, Lá Fhéile Pádraig, lit=the Day of the Festival of Patrick), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patr ...
, another 60 positive cases were added in Louisiana, bringing the cumulative total of positive cases to 196. The fourth death in the state was also reported by the Louisiana Department of Health: 80-year-old judge James Carriere, who became the second person to die of coronavirus in the Lambeth House retirement home in uptown New Orleans. Analysis of coronavirus data by New Orleans WVUE Fox 8 and the Michael I. Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism at Indiana University determined that by March 17, Orleans Parish had the second-highest number of cases by county or parish per capita in the country, only behind
Westchester County, New York Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population o ...
. In addition, it was found that the New Orleans metropolitan area had the second-highest number of cases by metropolitan area per 100,000 people, behind the
Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area The Seattle metropolitan area is an urban conglomeration in the U.S. state of Washington that comprises Seattle, its surrounding satellites and suburbs. It contains the three most populous counties in the state—King, Snohomish, and Pierce†...
in
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...
. Officials from the
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (commonly called Jazz Fest or Jazzfest) is an annual celebration of local music and culture held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Fest attracts thousands of visitors to New ...
announced that the festival, which was to be held for two weekends from late April to early May, would be postponed until the fall. Citing the restrictions set in place by the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana, organizers postponed the festival for the "health and safety of the community, hemusicians, Festival fans, participants, sponsors, and staff" and recommended "everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols" from officials. Although no new exact dates were not announced for the festival, the tickets purchased will be honored in the fall.


March 18–19th, 2020

By March 18, the number of positive cases in Louisiana was over 200. Three new deaths were confirmed on March 18, bringing the total number of deaths in the state to 7. One of the three deaths confirmed that day in Louisiana was a 72-year-old man from
Jefferson Parish Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foot ...
, the first death outside of Orleans Parish. The second of the three deaths confirmed on March 18 was 92-year-old psychiatrist Dr. Charles Rodney Smith, the third person who died in the Lambeth House retirement community in uptown New Orleans. The
Louisiana Department of Health The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) (French: Département de La Santé de Louisiane) , formerly known as the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (French: Département de La Santé et des Hôpitaux) , is a state agency of Louisiana, h ...
also announced 84 additional positive cases on March 18, bringing the state's cumulative total of positive cases to 280, with 196 of them in Orleans Parish alone. Early on March 19, Governor Edwards announced that the number of cases had risen to 347, with the majority of cases concentrated in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. West Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Plaquemines, and St. James Parishes all were confirmed to have their first cases that morning. St. James Parish also announced that their first case would also be Louisiana's eighth death, the first outside of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish. The
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
' head coach
Sean Payton Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; anglici ...
announced that he had tested positive, becoming the first member of an NFL organization to do so. The evening update from the Louisiana Department of Health increased the number of positive cases to 392 and the number of deaths to 10. New positive cases were found in
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, Calcasieu,
Iberia The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
, Iberville,
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, Rapides, St. Landry, and
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Parishes, increasing the number of parishes with cases from 17 to 25. One case was reported in
Acadia Parish Acadia Parish (french: link=no, Paroisse de l'Acadie) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 57,576. The parish seat is Crowley. The parish was founded from parts of St. Landry Parish in ...
was but later reclassified by the LDH. The two new deaths were announced to be from New Orleans, increasing the number of deaths in the city-parish alone to 8. Governor Edwards also announced at a press conference that the number of residents who died at the Lambeth House in
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
had increased to 5.


March 20–23rd, 2020

On March 20, the total number of cases has risen to 537. Jefferson Parish announced on March 20 that curbside recycling pickup would be suspended citing the safety of workers in the industry. The Louisiana Department of Health increased the number of cases to 763 on March 21, also announcing 6 additional deaths, increasing the total number of deaths in Louisiana to 20. By that evening, over half of all Louisiana parishes had at least one case. The most cases were concentrated in Orleans Parish, which had 418 cases and 15 deaths. Jefferson Parish had the second-highest number of cases with 166, followed in third by St. Tammany Parish with 22 cases. On March 22, as cases grew to 837 cases statewide, the governor of Louisiana announced a statewide
stay-at-home order A stay-at-home order, safer-at-home order, movement control order (more common in Southeast Asia), or lockdown restrictions (in the United Kingdom) – also referred to by loose use of the terms (self-) quarantine, (self-) isolation, or lockdow ...
effective until April 12. The Louisiana Department of Health announced that new cases would only be updated once-a-day at 12:00 p.m. CT, moving from announcing cases two times a day at 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. CT as was done previously. This change went into effect mid-day on March 22, explaining the slowing of cases on that day as well, as the 40% increase of cases the next day. The number of cases in Louisiana grew to 1,172 on March 23. It was announced by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans that Archbishop Gregory Aymond had tested positive for coronavirus on March 23. The 70-year-old Archbishop stated that he had not been feeling well and was tested with his symptoms. He stated that he will continue to
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reflections on the crisis to
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and the Archdiocese's website.


March 24, 2020

In a press conference, Governor Edwards said that of the 1,388 confirmed cases in the state, no one had yet recovered from the virus. In addition, 271 people are hospitalized with coronavirus in Louisiana, 94 of whom are on ventilators. According to the Governor, there were 923 ventilators across the state, with slightly over 10% of them being used for coronavirus patients in the state. Coastal Environmental Services, the contractor for St. Tammany Parish's recycling pickup, announced that they were suspending curbside recycling pickup throughout the parish on March 24. Trash pickup would continue normally and all recycle placed on the curb would be placed in the trash. Governor Edwards issued a request for a disaster declaration and federal aid in the state, projecting that New Orleans could exceed its hospital capacity by April 4.


March 25, 2020

Governor Edwards warns that
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
may run out of ventilators by the first week of April. The state is distributing 100 ventilators and expects to soon have 200 more, but it will need another 600. The state has 1,795 cases and 65 deaths.


March 27th, 2020

Florida Governor
Ron DeSantis Ronald Dion DeSantis (; born September 14, 1978) is an American politician serving as the 46th governor of Florida since January 2019. A member of the Republican Party, DeSantis represented Florida's 6th district in the U.S. House of Represe ...
expands a previous order requiring airline travelers from
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
to self-quarantine for fourteen days to include people who enter from Louisiana via
Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
.Florida coronavirus cases pass 4000: state border checkpoints begin, vacation rentals halted
by James Call, USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau, March 29, 2020


March 31st, 2020

Governor Edwards announces that the number of COVID-19 patients using
ventilator A ventilator is a piece of medical technology that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently. Ventilators ...
s has doubled in the past five days. The state also saw a one-day surge of more than 1,200 cases, bringing the state's total to over 5,200. 239 people have died, including 54 newly reported deaths. A statewide stay-at-home order through at least April 30.Coronavirus: Number of Louisiana patients on ventilators doubles in five days
The Independent, March 31, 2020


April 2020

New Orleans has a death rate from COVID-19 that is twice that of
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
and four times that in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
. Health officials say obesity, diabetes, and hypertension are to blame. On April 4, an article stated that
St. John the Baptist Parish St. John the Baptist Parish (SJBP, french: Paroisse de Saint-Jean-Baptiste) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, the population was 42,477. The parish seat is Edgard, an unincorporated area, and the largest c ...
had "the highest per capita coronavirus mortality rate in the nation." On April 5, hundreds of parishioners came to Life Tabernacle Church, a Pentecostal church in the city of
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. The pastor, Rev. Tony Spell, faced six misdemeanor charges for violating the order against public gatherings. Interviewed three days later, he said: "True Christians do not mind dying." On April 13, LSU employees began mass-producing personal protective equipment for essential medical personnel. As of April 22, there were over 2,400 cases of coronavirus and almost 500 deaths in adult residential care facilities, which includes nursing homes, across Louisiana.


May 2020

On May 5, sanitation workers in New Orleans went on strike over lack of protective equipment and hazard pay. On May 15, Governor Edwards lifted the Stay at Home order, allowing businesses to re-open. On May 20, all city-parish public buildings re-opened with strict guidelines for protection. On May 21, the Louisiana Department of Health announced 1188 newly reported cases. Fully 62% (682) of those were from labs reporting for the first time, reflecting cases stretching as far back as 3/25/20. On May 26, the Louisiana Department of Health reported there have been 245 new positive cases and 11 new deaths. On May 27, Governor Edwards announced there are 13 cases and one death of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) in children across the state. There is a correlation between children that have been exposed to COVID-19 and MIS-C.


June 2020

As of June 1, Lafayette has experienced the highest seven day average of positive COVID cases since April. There had been 119 new cases over the past seven days. Multiple employees of the Borden Dairy processing plant and crawfish processing plants in Acadia parish have tested positive. On June 5, Governor Edwards announced that Louisiana will move into Phase 2 of the White House's guidelines of reopening. This means that businesses that had been operating at 25% capacity under Phase 1 can now operate at 50% capacity. Businesses that had previously been closed such as spas, tattoo parlors, event centers, and massage parlors will be allowed to open. Phase 2 will last at least 21 days at which the Governor will assess if the state can then move to Phase 3 or not. On June 19, the Louisiana Department of Health confirmed an outbreak of coronavirus infections in the Tigerland bars after receiving over 100 reports of positive cases from patrons and employees. Health officials urged anyone that visited Tigerland over the weekend to self-quarantine. On June 20, it was reported that 30 LSU football players tested positive for coronavirus and are now in quarantine. The football program reopened for voluntary workouts on June 9 and this is the first outbreak since then. On June 22, Governor Edwards announced that Louisiana will stay in Phase 2 as there has been an uptick of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Louisiana will remain in Phase 2 for an additional 28 days before reassessing. Amid Governor Edwards extending Phase 2, Republic lawmakers are pushing to revoke the state's emergency declaration as they assert that people in their districts do not want to wear masks or adhere to governmental restrictions on social distancing at restaurants. The spike in coronavirus cases among young people is causing concerns about the availability of tests. Some health providers say the cases of infection are growing so quickly that they are having a hard time keeping up with demand. Dr. Kevin DiBenedetto, medical director for Premier Health, which is responsible for running urgent care clinics across the state, including Lake After Hours in Baton Rouge, LCMC Health Urgent Care in New Orleans and Lourdes Urgent Care in the Lafayette area says that the recent spike in cases "totally crushed" their supply of tests. On June 23, it was reported that Fred's bar in Tigerland would host a drive-thru coronavirus testing site for students and employees at nearby bars.


July 2020

On July 14, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary Besty DeVos, and White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx visited Louisiana State University to meet with Governor Edwards and other elected officials regarding school reopening. By late July, some hospitals in the area of
Lake Charles, Louisiana Lake Charles (French: ''Lac Charles'') is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and the parish seat of Calcasieu Parish, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Founded in 1861 in Calcasieu ...
reached ICU capacity limits and had to either refuse incoming transfers or send patients to other hospitals. The chief constraint on capacity was not beds, but staff, as some hospital workers were quarantined due to infections with COVID-19.


August 2020

On August 4, Governor Edwards announced that he was extending the state's Phase 2 executive order for another three weeks (until August 28). He noted that the improvements were "modest." On August 5, the Governor's team appeared in court to defend their COVID restrictions against four Jefferson Parish business owners who sought to overturn the measures. The next day, Nineteenth Judicial Court state Judge Janice Clark denied the attempt by the business owners, writing "this court is firmly in the opinion the governor has exercised his power deliberately and on behalf of the people of this state ... to limit loss of life." On August 10, the Louisiana Department of Health reported four deaths related to Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19. On August 26, Governor Edwards announced that he would be keeping the state in Phase Two until September 11.


September 2020

On September 6, Louisiana surpassed 5,000 deaths from COVID-19. Governor Edwards also announced that he will be moving the state into Phase 3 on September 11. Shortly after the Governor's announcement, Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans announced that the city of New Orleans would remain in Phase 2 on September 10. This decision sparked outrage from business owners, sports leaders and more.


October 2020

On October 8, Governor Edwards announced that the state would be remaining in Phase Three until November 6.


November 2020

On November 7, a large Christian gathering in New Orleans featuring music artist and Louisiana-native Lauren Daigle sparked controversy. The event appeared to violate several of the city's coronavirus guidelines. A spokesman for Mayor LaToya Cantrell released a statement saying "The images circulating depict what appear to be clear violations of public health guidelines. New Orleans has bent the curve and stopped the spread, twice, and this kind of irresponsible behavior is absolutely unacceptable." On November 24, after an aggressive third surge of new cases and hospitalizations, Gov. Edwards announced that he would impose tighter mitigation measures and move the state back to Phase 2.


December 2020

On December 7, the Louisiana Department of Health adopted the CDC's guidance that allows people who have been exposed to COVID-19 to reduce their quarantine period from 14 days to 10 days, or as few as 7 days with a negative test. On December 16, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser tested positive for COVID-19. And on December 17, Congressman
Cedric Richmond Cedric Levan Richmond (born September 13, 1973) is an American attorney, politician, and political advisor who served as a Senior Advisor to the President of the United States, senior advisor to the president and director of the Office of Public ...
, a Democrat from New Orleans tested positive for COVID-19. On December 22, Governor Edwards announced that he would be keeping the state in Phase 2 until January 13 citing that the state had reached the highest number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients since April 2020. On December 29, Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, a Republican from Start, Louisiana died as a result of COVID-19. His death marked the first coronavirus death for either a sitting or incoming member of Congress. Letlow was 41 and had no reported underlying health conditions.


January 2021

On January 16, the Louisiana Department of Health identified that a positive case involved the more-contagious SARS-CoV2 variant
Lineage B.1.1.7 The Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) was a Variants of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern. It was estimated to be 40–80% more Transmission (medicine), transmissible than the Wild type, wild-type SARS-CoV-2 (with most estimates occupying the ...
. On January 22, Governor Edwards announced the launch of "COVID Defense", an app used to alert Louisianans if someone that they have been in close contact with has contracted COVID. On January 23, it was reported that a COVID-19 outbreak was linked to a January 15–16 wrestling event held at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, Louisiana. The Louisiana Department of Health announced that they received 20 reports of staff, athletes, and attendees testing positive for the virus.


February 2021


March 2021


April 2021


May 2021


June 2021

As Louisiana was one of five U.S. states with less than 35% of its population vaccinated, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, predicted the state was at risk for outbreaks of the Delta variant.


July 2021


August 2021


September 2021


October 2021


November 2021


December 2021


January 2022


February 2022


State response

Governor Edwards announced that schools would close until April 13. Governor Edwards also signed an executive order on March 13 postponing all Louisiana elections in the months of April and May, including the Louisiana Democratic primary, until June and July, respectively. The presidential primaries were held on June 20, 2020. Mayor of New Orleans
LaToya Cantrell LaToya Cantrell (''née'' Wilder; born April 3, 1972) is an American politician serving as the Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana since May 7, 2018. A Democrat, Cantrell is the first woman to hold the office. Before becoming mayor, Cantrell represe ...
announced the closure of New Orleans' traffic and magistrate courts on March 15, beginning immediately and lasting for 30 days. The mayor also announced the closure of New Orleans Public Libraries beginning on March 16. Also on March 15, Mayor Cantrell issued guidance surrounding bars and restaurants, directing full-service restaurants to close at 9:00 p.m. and restaurants to only seat 50 percent of their capacity to partake in
physical distancing In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious disea ...
. In addition, quick-service or fast-casual restaurants can only partake in drive-thru service, but can extend their operating hours to 24 hours if needed. Bars and nightclubs are also required to serve up to 50 percent of their capacity, announce
last call In a Bar (establishment), bar, a last call (last orders) is an Wiktionary:announcement, announcement made shortly before the bar closes for the night, informing patrons of their last chance to buy alcoholic beverages. There are various means to ...
at 11:15 p.m., and be closed and vacated by midnight every night. Locally, Slidell Mayor
Greg Cromer George Gregory Cromer (born June 26, 1958), is an American politician, currently serving as the mayor of Slidell, Louisiana. A Republican, he previously served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2008 to 2018. Educatio ...
made a statement on March 14, re-stating the closure of public schools and the state of emergency that Governor Edwards announced previously. Mayor Cromer also announced the closing of the Slidell Cultural Center, the cancellation of the City of Slidell's Arts Evening cultural festival, and the rescheduling of the Bayou Jam Concert Series in Heritage Park. He reaffirmed that the Slidell Museum and Slidell Mardi Gras Museums would remain open. On March 16, Governor Edwards issued a state-wide executive order prohibiting public gatherings of more than 50 people, and ordering the closure of bars, bowling alleys, casino gaming (including casinos and
video poker Video poker is a casino game based on five-card draw poker. It is played on a computerized console similar in size to a slot machine. History Video poker first became commercially viable when it became economical to combine a television-like moni ...
), fitness facilities, and movie theaters from March 17 through April 13. Restaurants were also restricted to takeout and delivery service only. On March 22, Governor Edwards announced a statewide
stay-at-home order A stay-at-home order, safer-at-home order, movement control order (more common in Southeast Asia), or lockdown restrictions (in the United Kingdom) – also referred to by loose use of the terms (self-) quarantine, (self-) isolation, or lockdow ...
effective until April 12 in a press conference. On March 31 the order was extended to at least April 30. On March 26, Mayor Cantrell criticized the Trump administration's early response to the pandemic, admitting that she would have canceled
Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fat ...
festivities in New Orleans had she been provided with more sufficient information from federal authorities on potential risks. She explained that "we were not given a warning or even told, 'Look, you know what? Don't have Mardi Gras'", and that "if the federal government is not responding to or saying that we're potentially on the verge of having a crisis for the pandemic coming to the U.S. — that would change everything. But that wasn't happening." Governor Edwards partnered with the Louisiana Department of Health on May 8 to develop a plan to hire 700 Louisiana residents as contact tracers, who interview and advise those who've tested positive for COVID-19 to ascertain who else in their lives may be at risk for contracting the virus. LDH Secretary, Dr. Courtney Phillips, acknowledged that this measure will only work if the people who are contacted by the tracers actually self-isolate. On July 11, 2020, Governor Edwards announced that masks would be required for most people and that bars had to close. On July 16, Governor Edwards announced a new $24 million Emergency Rental Assistance program (LERAP) aimed at assisting Louisiana renters experiencing financial hardship. On July 19, only three days after its announcement, the state temporarily suspended the Louisiana Emergency Rental Assistance Program due to an overwhelming response. On July 20, Mayor Cantrell of the City of New Orleans encouraged residents to access and utilize the more than $25 million available in Utility Bill Assistance. On July 23, the state surpassed 100,000 reported COVID-19 cases and the Governor signed an executive order extending Phase Two and the statewide mask mandate. As the number of COVID-19 cases continued to rise, so did the state's unemployment rate. On July 28, Governor Edwards penned a letter to Louisiana's congressional delegation citing serious concerns regarding the state's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. On August 18, Governor Edwards announced that he would be officially declaring an emergency as it relates to Louisiana's November election. He also noted that the current Emergency Election Plan proposed by the Secretary of State was insufficient. On August 25, Governor Edwards announced that the state would be remaining in Phase 2, citing four key reasons: (1) allowing students to return to campuses; (2) evacuating residents impacted by
Hurricane Laura Hurricane Laura was a deadly and destructive Category 4 hurricane that is tied with the 1856 Last Island hurricane and 2021's Hurricane Ida as the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the U.S. state of Louisiana, as measur ...
; (3) little-to-no data surrounding testing as a result of hurricane impacts; (4) rising cases across the state. On September 8, it was announced that the state had to begin the process to borrow money from the federal government to supplement the unemployment trust fund which reached very low levels. Ava Dejoie, Secretary of the Louisiana Workforce Commission stated "This is an unprecedented situation. We enjoyed one of the most robust trust unds one that was highly regarded as one of the best in the nation before COVID-19 and we were consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation, but we along with other states are now faced with unemployment the likes of which our country has never seen." On September 11, after improvements in case counts and hospitalizations, Governor Edwards announced the state would be transitioning into Phase 3 and extending the statewide mask mandate. This measure opened the door for increased occupancy and capacity in businesses. On September 16, after weeks of litigation regarding the impending November election, Judge Shelly Dick of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana ruled that Louisiana's Secretary of State must implement an emergency election plan to accommodate concerns surrounding the pandemic. On September 17, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued new guidance easing restrictions on nursing home visits. The next day, Governor Edwards announced that the state would move quickly to implement these changes, allowing indoor visitation to nursing homes located in parishes with no more than 10% test positivity and without any cases in the past 14 days. In October, 65 Republican members of the Louisiana House of Representatives signed onto a petition that sought to overturn Governor Edwards' public health emergency declaration and the statewide mask mandate. This set off a war between Governor Edwards and Attorney General Jeff Landry over the constitutionality of the petition. As of November 2020, Judge William Morvant of the 19th JDC denied the request, citing that the petition was void since it "specifically targeted Edwards' previous iteration of the phase 3 order which ended Nov. 6." On March 10, 2021, citing vaccination progress, New Orleans moved to a "modified phase 3". On April 27, 2021, Governor Edwards announced a loosening of state-wide restrictions: the mask mandate was narrowed to only apply to public transport (per executive order), schools, health care facilities, and state facilities. Capacity limits were removed for outdoor events, and indoor events were allowed to expand up to 75% capacity with social distancing, or full capacity with masks required. On August 2, 2021, citing spread of
Delta variant The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first detected in India in late 2020. The Delta variant was named on 31 May 2021 and had spread to over 179 countries by 22 November 2021. The ...
due to low vaccination levels, Governor Edwards reinstated a mask mandate for indoor public spaces and schools, effective through at least September 1.


Vaccination

On December 14, 2020, the first doses of the
Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine The Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine ( INN: tozinameran), sold under the brand name Comirnaty, is an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine developed by the German biotechnology company BioNTech. For its development, BioNTech collaborated with Amer ...
were distributed to employees of Ochsner Health, after the state received its first shipment of 10,000 doses. Governor Edwards stated that "this is the beginning of the end. We're not at the end yet. The vaccine by itself is not going to end this pandemic. We have to have vaccinations, and the process started today." On January 4, 2021, wider distribution began to residents age 70 and over, and other health care workers. The state also planned to begin vaccine distribution at participating pharmacies. As of January 15, 2021, more than 170,000 residents had received at least one dose of the vaccine, ranking 17th in the country. On March 9, 2021, Governor Edwards announced a major expansion of its vaccination eligibility criteria, covering any resident over the age of 16 who has an underlying condition identified by the CDC as contributing to an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Factoring in conditions such as
obesity Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...
, it was estimated that 3 in 4 residents were eligible to receive a vaccination based on the new criteria. As of then, 9.9% of the state's population had been fully vaccinated, and 17.3% had received at least one dose. New Orleans was identified as one of the leading cities in vaccine distribution nationwide.


Impact


Economic

On August 19, it was reported that the total number of jobs in Louisiana dropped by 11% in the first half of 2020 due to COVID-19. This number is nearly double the number of jobs lost in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
in
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
. Starting in September, Louisiana's seafood industry, which has been hard hit due to pandemic restrictions on restaurant capacity could apply for assistance through the
CARES Act The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, is a $2.2trillion Stimulus (economics), economic stimulus bill passed by the 116th U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2 ...
. As a part of the CARES Act, Governor Edwards announced that Louisiana would receive a $2.4 million federal grant to stimulate business recovery. The bulk of these funds will be used to support "COVID-19 recovery projects." On November 17, 2020, Mayor Cantrell announced that parades would be prohibited during Mardi Gras in New Orleans in order to prevent large gatherings. Furthermore, Cantrell restricted the sale of alcohol at restaurants and ordered the closure of all bars from February 12 through February 16. The city was expected to lose out on around $1 billion in revenue tied to Mardi Gras and associated tourism. Due to
Delta variant The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first detected in India in late 2020. The Delta variant was named on 31 May 2021 and had spread to over 179 countries by 22 November 2021. The ...
, a number of major New Orleans events, including White Linen Night, Red Dress Run, and the
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (commonly called Jazz Fest or Jazzfest) is an annual celebration of local music and culture held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Fest attracts thousands of visitors to New ...
(which had postponed itself to October to increase the likelihood that it could be held), announced in August 2021 that they would again be cancelled out of an abundance of caution. The Voodoo Experience music festival was also cancelled for a second year in June 2021, with no specific reason given (although ''NOLA.com'' suggested that it had been cancelled out of respect for festivals that had been postponed to October). The cancellation of Jazzfest in particular was considered a blow to New Orleans' hospitality industry, which had anticipated tourism to recover.


Sports

On March 12, the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
announced the season would be suspended for at least 30 days, affecting the
New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
. The
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
also cancelled all of its remaining tournaments for the academic year, including the 2020 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament — whose Women's Final Four was scheduled to be hosted by New Orleans.NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships
NCAA, March 12, 2020
The
Louisiana High School Athletics Association The Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) is the agency that regulates and promotes the interscholastic athletic competitions of all high schools in the state of Louisiana. Organization LHSAA was founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana i ...
canceled all events for the duration of the virus and likely the rest of semester and season. On March 19,
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
head coach
Sean Payton Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; anglici ...
announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Payton stated in a tweet that he felt ill on March 15 and was tested the next day. He was the first NFL team member to be confirmed positive for the virus. On May 20, the National College Athletic Association debated and voted to end the moratorium on voluntary practices for football and men's and women's basketball on college campuses. This decision means that
Louisiana State University Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...
student athletes can return to campus if they are able and adhere to local and state regulations.
Southern University Southern University and A&M College (Southern University, Southern, SUBR or SU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is the largest historically black college or university (HBCU) in Louisiana, a ...
has altered its 2020 football schedule as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Southern's opening game against Texas State University and subsequent home game against Florida A&M have both been canceled. There are five home games on the new schedule but no word has been given on if fans will be allowed in the stadium. The location of the famed
Bayou Classic The Bayou Classic is an annual college football classic rivalry game between the Grambling State University Tigers and the Southern University Jaguars, first held under that name in 1974 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, although the series it ...
has been listed at TBD and could be moved from the traditional location of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. On October 5, Governor Edwards announced that sporting events and venues in parishes that meet certain criteria could begin serving alcohol.


Corrections

ProPublica ProPublica (), legally Pro Publica, Inc., is a nonprofit organization based in New York City. In 2010, it became the first online news source to win a Pulitzer Prize, for a piece written by one of its journalists''The Guardian'', April 13, 2010P ...
reported that an outbreak at the
Louisiana State Penitentiary The Louisiana State Penitentiary (known as Angola, and nicknamed the "Alcatraz of the South", "The Angola Plantation" and "The Farm"Sutton, Keith "Catfish".Out There: Angola angling. ''ESPN Outdoors''. May 31, 2006. Retrieved on August 25, 2010. ...
(Angola) in
West Feliciana Parish West Feliciana Parish (French: ''Paroisse de Feliciana Ouest''; Spanish: ''Parroquia de West Feliciana'') is a civil parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2010 census, the population was 15,625, and 15,310 at the 2020 census. ...
had been hidden via deliberately low testing rates. The pandemic also affected various temporary facilities housing prisoners of the
Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) is a prison for women with its permanent pre-2016 facility located in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. It is the only female correctional facility of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Correct ...
(LCIW). The pre-2016 site in St. Gabriel was affected by the
2016 Louisiana floods In August 2016, prolonged rainfall from an unpredictable storm resulted in catastrophic flooding in the state of Louisiana, United States; thousands of houses and businesses were submerged. Louisiana's governor, John Bel Edwards, called the disas ...
and prisoners had been moved to temporary sites; many of them were more cramped than the previous LCIW prison.


Statistics

The
University of Louisiana at Lafayette The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette, University of Louisiana, ULL, or UL) is a public research university in Lafayette, Louisiana. It has the largest enrollment within the nine-campus University of Louisiana System and the s ...
published a study finding that in the 14 days since its first case was reported, the growth rate of new COVID-19 cases in the state was 67.8%, exceeding
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
's 66.1% growth in a similar period, and believed to be the fastest rate of cases in such a period in the world.
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
has been noted for its high rate of cases;
LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
associate professor Susanne Straif-Bourgeoi suggested that the city's
Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fat ...
celebrations may have been a factor in its rapid spread—as they attract a large number of public gatherings and international tourism, and occurred before the wider scrutiny over the virus that emerged in March. The state's demographics have also influenced its rapid spread, including its sizable
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
population (a group that has seen a disproportionate impact in other parts of the country as well). On April 6, numbers released by the
Louisiana Department of Health The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) (French: Département de La Santé de Louisiane) , formerly known as the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (French: Département de La Santé et des Hôpitaux) , is a state agency of Louisiana, h ...
revealed that approximately 70% of COVID-19 deaths in the state at that point were among African Americans. Although only accounting for 33% of the state's total population, the majority population in New Orleans is African American. As of May 18, African Americans accounted for approximately 55% of total COVID-19 deaths, Caucasians accounted for almost 43%, with American Indians/Alaskan Indians, Asians, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, and Other/Unknown races accounting for less than 1% of total deaths each. Industrialized parts of the state have seen particularly high numbers of deaths, including
St. John the Baptist Parish St. John the Baptist Parish (SJBP, french: Paroisse de Saint-Jean-Baptiste) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, the population was 42,477. The parish seat is Edgard, an unincorporated area, and the largest c ...
(which has had the highest deaths per-capita in the country), and
River Parishes The River Parishes are those parishes in Louisiana between New Orleans and Baton Rouge that span both banks of the Mississippi River, and are part of the larger Acadiana region. Traditionally they are considered to be St. Charles Parish, St. Jame ...
between New Orleans and Baton Rouge colloquially known as "
Cancer Alley Cancer Alley (french: Allée du Cancer) is the regional nickname given to an stretch of land along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, in the River Parishes of Louisiana, which contains over 150 petrochemical plants and r ...
". On June 24, officials identified an increase in cases among residents under the age of 30, with the 18-29 age group now accounting for 18% of all cases. Weekly all-cause deaths in Louisian


See also

*
Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States may refer to: * Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (2020) * Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (2021) * Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United S ...
*
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is a part of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the Uni ...
– for impact on the country *
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
– for impact on other countries


References


External links


Coronavirus information
from the
Louisiana Department of Health The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) (French: Département de La Santé de Louisiane) , formerly known as the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (French: Département de La Santé et des Hôpitaux) , is a state agency of Louisiana, h ...
{{Portal bar, COVID-19, Medicine, United States, Viruses
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
coronavirus pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
coronavirus pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
Disasters in Louisiana Health in Louisiana