By DR. COURTNEY N.
PHILLIPS | Louisiana Department of Health Secretary
These past few months have seen us all adjusting to a steadily
evolving “new normal.”
Our state all but shut down during March and April as most
Louisianans took to heart Governor John Bel Edwards’ Stay at Home order. I know it
has been challenging to not be able to hug our friends or our high-risk loved
ones through all of this, to homeschool, to work from home, to continue to work
at physical locations where the rules of operation continue to change, or to be
unexpectedly out of work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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| Dr. Courtney N. Phillips, Secretary |
While keeping us apart physically, in many ways the pandemic
has brought us closer through frequent phone calls, texts and video chats with
our loved ones. We have looked out for one another through acts of kindness,
such as delivering groceries to a vulnerable neighbor who must stay indoors for
their own safety. Let’s continue to nurture that spirit of community and
togetherness as our state gradually reopens and we cautiously venture into the
world once more.
I thank everyone who took the Stay at Home order seriously, flattening
the curve and stemming the spread of the virus. We grieve those lost to
COVID-19 — our neighbors, our loved ones, our colleagues — but we celebrate the
many lives saved thanks to your cooperation.
The road ahead
Louisiana began a gradual, safety-driven reopening in
mid-May under Governor Edwards’ leadership. This phased reopening, called Roadmap
to a Resilient Louisiana, lifts some restrictions and allows businesses to
resume operations based on COVID-like illness, case growth and
hospitalizations. These declines did not just happen on their own. We together
made this happen — by wearing masks, staying 6 feet away from others,
minimizing how often we go out, and washing our hands and not touching our
faces. This Louisiana spirit is what keeps us moving forward.
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On June 5, we entered Phase 2 of Roadmap to a Resilient
Louisiana, but what does this mean? For many Louisianans, it means the sudden
opportunity to dine out, shop, get a tattoo or massage, or get married with
more than 10 people present. It also means many people may believe we can
relax.
With the reopening of more businesses and increased capacity
at already-reopened businesses, we may advise against it but people will begin
to venture out in greater numbers. However, just because businesses and leisure
activities are open does not mean there isn’t risk involved.
Businesses will continue to open gradually, but not the same
as we’re used to. They will have to operate under strict
requirements including limited occupancy with social distancing, masks for
public-facing employees and increased sanitization. We are also strongly
recommending good practices including offering temperature checks before a
person can enter, posting the symptoms of COVID-19 outside with a request that
symptomatic individuals not enter and posting signs thanking
guests for wearing
a mask.
We have control over our own preventive actions, such as
wearing a mask and putting 6 feet of space between ourselves and others, but we
cannot control the actions of others. Before making plans to go out, we
encourage everyone to reduce the risk of exposure by considering the factors of
Time - Space - People - Place, an assessment of risk developed
by Ohio State University epidemiologist Dr. William Miller. To put it simply:
- Time: The more time you spend with other people, the greater the risk.
- Space: The closer you are to other people, the greater the risk.
- People: The more people you interact with, the greater the risk.
- Place: Indoor activities are riskier than outdoor activities.
Here are some tips for considering Time - Space - People -
Place:
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During Phase 2, we encourage high-risk individuals to
continue staying at home for their safety. This includes individuals ages 65
and older, long-term care facility residents, and vulnerable individuals such
as those who are immunocompromised or have one or more of the following health
conditions with poor control:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Chronic kidney disease
- Heart disease
Remember that everyone
is still safer at home. With the easing of restrictions comes the possibility
we could see what other countries and states are seeing: a spike in COVID-19
case growth. We do not want to slide backward, so we must all do our part to
continue moving forward. This includes contact tracing, testing and mitigation
measures such as those below, but it takes all of us doing our part to prevent
a new spike in cases.
Defending against
COVID-19
As we continue to adjust to the new normal and avoid a new wave of
infections, it’s vitally important that we all continue to wear masks and stay 6
feet away from others when in public.
Face masks or face coverings should
be worn anytime when you are near others who are not in your immediate
household. The only exceptions are children under the age of 2 and people with
severe breathing issues. I wear my mask every day whether I’m at the
Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), LDH
headquarters or the Capitol — and I
am thankful to see others doing the same. I wear
my mask to protect you, and you should wear your mask to protect me. It’s being
a good neighbor to everyone around you.
I know that it can
feel strange to breathe and even talk while wearing a mask but it is for all of
our health and safety. I am confident we can all get comfortable in our masks
and make wearing them as normal as getting dressed in the morning.
Along with masking up, social distancing is one of our most
reliable tactics to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Social
distancing means maintaining a physical space of 6 feet between yourself and people
from outside your household, something which does not come easily to
Louisianans.
As a daughter of Louisiana, born and raised in Plaquemines Parish,
I know firsthand that the need to be friendly and to congregate is instilled in
us at birth. We thrive in one another’s company, which we can enjoy so long as
we do so safely — 6 feet apart and masked. Yes, it is different from the social
gatherings we are used to, but so long as we are together we will shoulder
through these challenging times.
Along with masking up and observing social distancing, to help
keep everyone healthy:
- Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are unavailable.
- Clean high-touch surfaces and high-traffic areas frequently.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Sneeze and cough into a tissue, elbow or mask.
- Stay home if you are sick, especially if you have a fever greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Isolate yourself from others in the household and contact your medical provider. Staying home when sick saves lives.
This is our new normal until we have a vaccine. Take care of
yourselves and your neighbors, and once again the bonds of Louisiana spirit
will see us through.
We frequently update our website with helpful information to help
keep you safe during this pandemic. Visit http://ldh.la.gov/Coronavirus.
thank you Dr. Phillips!
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