Developments in the battle against COVID

Here are recent developments in the battle against COVID-19:
More schools,
more masks
Bishop J. Douglas De-shotel of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette says students 5 and over at the diocese’s church schools will be required to wear masks. The diocese extends into west St. Mary.
Bishop Shelton Fabre had issued similar policy for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, of which Central Catholic is part.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry asked Deshotel to reconsider in a letter Thursday. He said the science and guidance on mask-wearing is mixed.
“I would hope that we can all respect each other’s choices and decisions and come together in faith and community,” Landry wrote. “I hope that you will give us that choice.”
Landry also claimed in the letter that Catholic Charities is assisting undocumented immigrants in coming to this country.
Landry had also come under fire over allegations that he circulated a letter among AG’s Office employees offering advice on how to get around school mask requirements.
Numbers
The Louisiana Office of Public Health reported a one-day increase of 95 COVID-19 cases in St. Mary on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases to 6,564.
Two more deaths were added to the St. Mary COVID death toll, apparently reflecting the last of sixth deaths reported by the Coroner’s Office Sunday-Tuesday. The pandemic death toll here is now 153.
Statewide, 5,468 new cases were reported Thursday along with 33 deaths.
Hospitalizations rose by 103 to 2,350.
Ochsner
Ochsner Health Sys-tem, which operates Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City, reported an increase in COVID hospitalizations in its Louisiana and Missis-sippi hospitals.
The hospitals were treating 890 COVID patients Wednesday, up 69 from Tuesday’s total.
In the system’s Bayou region, which includes Ochsner St. Mary, 94 COVID patients were being treated Wednesday, up 11 from Tuesday.
Ochsner has warned of a growing number of COVID infections among people 19 and under. COVID test positivity for young people in that age group this week is at 24.5%.
Ochsner is caring for seven pediatric patients in its hospitals. Their average age is 5.7.