The most recent report of COVID cases in Louisiana nursing homes indicates a continued downward trend. Of the state’s 275 homes they are reporting fewer than 30 new cases. Tulane Epidemiologist Doctor Susan Hassig said it is a testimony of the strong efficacy of the vaccines.
“They’re in their own little sector of the world, they have enough people vaccinated that the virus can’t progress,” said Hassig.
Nursing home data is reported each Wednesday and of the 14 facilities that reported a new case last week, they had no more than two new infections.
Hassig said not only are the vaccines keeping case numbers down but if residents are infected it’s not as dire as it was before for the most vulnerable demographic to the virus.
“Even if they get infected, they are very, very unlikely to become ill and certainly to need hospitalization or to experience a fatal outcome,” said Hassig.
Reviewing data of nursing home residents, which were among the first to be vaccinated in the state is a great example of what can happen across the state with increased vaccination rates. Hassig said if you’re on the fence, now is the time be to vaccinate before variants possibly negate our progress.
“This pandemic is really not going to end until we can get enough people vaccinated to give it no place to go anymore,” said Hassig.
Roughly a third of the eligible population in the state has received at least one shot, third-worst in the nation.
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