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The Louisiana Department of Health announced Monday that 560 providers will get a share of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine doses this week.

Although supplies are limited, this week’s allocation from the federal government is expected to be the biggest yet and include about 38,000 doses of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Vaccinations are by appointment only, officials said. The list of providers, including contact information, is available at covidvaccine.la.gov. Residents also can call 211 to find a nearby provider.

Providers include 181 chain pharmacies, 161 independent pharmacies, 61 hospitals, 50 public health providers, 28 urgent cares, 22 federally qualified health centers, 22 medical practices, 13 rural health clinics and 22 other health care providers and can be found in every parish of the state, LDH said.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires a single dose to get the full benefit, rather than two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. It also is less delicate and easier to store, which creates more options for distribution, Dr. Joseph Kanter with LDH said last week.

State officials expected to receive more than 130,000 doses this week including all three types.

More than 1.6 million of the state’s estimated 4.65 million residents are eligible to be vaccinated. Anyone who is at least 65 years old is eligible.

Other eligible groups include:

• Dialysis providers and patients;

• Ambulatory and outpatient providers and staff;

• Behavioral health providers and staff;

• Urgent care clinic providers and staff;

• Community care providers and staff;

• Dental care providers and staff;

• Nonemergency medical transportation providers and staff;

• Professional home care providers (including hospice workers) and home care recipients, including older and younger people with disabilities older than 16 who receive community or home-based care and clients of home health agencies;

• Interpreters and support service providers working in community and clinic-based settings, and clients who are both deaf and blind;

• Health-related support personnel, including lab staff, mortuary staff who have contact with corpses and pharmacy staff;

• Schools of allied health students, residents and staff;

• State and local essential COVID-19 emergency response personnel;

• Some elections staff for the March and April elections;

• Teachers and any other support staff working on site in K-12 or day care;

• All pregnant residents;

• People ages 55-64 with at least one of the conditions listed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as placing them at an "increased risk of severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19,” including cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Down syndrome, heart conditions (including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies), weakened immune system from solid organ transplant, obesity, sickle cell disease, smoking and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PATTERSON — A big second-quarter run by the No. 9 Patterson Lumberjacks gave the home team a comfortable lead Friday against No. 24 Frederick A. Douglass. And it proved even more valuable than it seemed at the time in the Class 3A bi-district game.
That’s because a scoring drought for much of the fourth quarter helped Frederick Douglass (14-7) erase much of the deficit before Patterson (23-8) held on for a 59-54 victory.
First-year Patterson coach Warrell Span said his squad needs to continue playing hard and needs to assemble a complete game effort.
“We just got to keep playing hard,” Span said. “We need every minute we can to win these games.”
While Patterson led just 13-11 entering the second quarter, the Lumberjacks outscored Frederick Douglass 26-11 in the second stanza for a 38-22 halftime advantage.
The scoring outburst included five three-pointers, including four accounting for the Lumberjacks’ final five baskets of the period.
Tylon Walton had two three-pointers in the quarter, while Khylin Brooks, Dedrick Gant and Dillon Gunner each had one trey.
“It was real big,” Span said of the scoring outburst, adding the team has been working in the gym on shooting, among other things, to improve.
Patterson extended its lead to as much as 51-30 with about 1:10 left in the third quarter on a basket by Louis Jones. Walton connected on another basket in the quarter, and Patterson led 53-34 after three quarters.
However, that’s when things got shaky for the home squad.
Frederick Douglass slowly began to chip away in the fourth quarter, while Patterson couldn’t get field goals or free throws to fall.
Frederick Douglass went on a 14-0 run to begin the fourth quarter.
After James Nathan made a basket to begin the quarter, the Bobcats converted a three-point play after turning a Patterson turnover into a layup by Tony Brown and ensuing free throw to cut the deficit to 53-39 with 6:47 remaining in the game.
Nathan and Alexander Henry connected on back-to-back three-pointers for Frederick Douglass for their next points to cut the deficit to 53-45 with 4:20 remaining, while Brown added a basket with about 3:40 left to trim the deficit to 53-47.
Patterson’s scoring drought finally ended when Walton connected on the second of two free-throw attempts with 3:28 left for a 54-47 Patterson lead.
“Those guys were athletic, well coached,” Frederick Douglass coach Kerwin Forges said of Patterson. “I think our guys kind of ran out of gas at the end. We obviously were just pressing a little bit, trying to make some shots and do a couple things that we’re not used to doing or not things that we practice on doing to try to get a quick bucket, but I’m very, very proud of our guys and the effort that they put in and the fight.”
The Lumberjacks’ first field goal of the quarter came about a minute later on a Kendall Francois basket with 2:30 left for a 56-48 advantage en route to the win.
“I just feel like what helped us the most is we played great defense, and it helped us from those missed throws that we had,” Span said.
However, he said they have to work on free throws. The Lumberjacks struggled mightily from the free-throw line Friday where they made just 2 of 16 attempts.
Span said the team has struggled “somewhat” at the free throw line this year, but he said it would get corrected.
“We’ll be all right, though,” he said. “I promise we’ll be all right. No questions asked.”
Josiah Jennings led Patterson with a double-double with 14 points and 16 rebounds. He also had two assists, two steals and two blocks.
Other top Patterson contributors were as follows: Walton, 19 points, five assists, one rebound and one steal; Louis Jones, seven points, five rebounds and two blocks; Gunner, five points, five assists, two rebounds and one steal; Kendall Francois, four points, eight assists, two rebounds, two steals and one block; Taij Tillman, four points, one assist, four rebounds and one steal; Brooks, three points and one rebound; and Gant, three points.
Brown led Frederick Douglass with 19 points, while Nathan also reached double figures with 18 points.

The Patterson City Council will consider introducing ordinances that will set city property tax rates for the year and take another run at setting rules for subdividing land into what are known as “flag lots.”
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Patterson City Hall, 1314 Main St. To comply with COVID-19 rules, the audience is limited to 25% of capacity, and masks are required.
Two ordinances on the agenda for introduction set property tax rates for 2021. The taxes are an 8.30-mill levy for general city operations and a 14-mill tax for the waterworks bond issue.
A mill is 1/10th cent of tax applied to each dollar of a property’s assessed valuation. Residential property is assessed at 10% of its market value.
The 8.3 mills add $83 to the tax bill for a home with a market value of $100,000. The 14 mills add $140 to the bill for a $100,000 home. Louisiana’s homestead exemption does not apply to city property taxes.
If the council introduces the ordinances, a final passage vote would occur at the April 6 meeting.
Also on the agenda is introduction of an ordinance regulating a certain kind of lot.
When a tract is subdivided into two lots, one of the lots may not have its own street frontage. So a thin strip of land through the lot with direct frontage may be set aside for access to the street and to utility infrastructure.
On plats, the thin strip resembles a flag pole and the new lot resembles a flag, so they’re called flag lots.
At the Feb. 2 meeting, the council looked at an ordinance that would allow the flag pole strip to be either part of the new lot or a perpetual right of way through the lot with direct street frontage.
But William Gil, who was at the meeting to be introduced as the city’s new planning and zoning officer, said parish authorities require the strip to be part of the new lot and not just a right of way.
The new ordinance is likely to take that view into account.
Also on the agenda for Tuesday:
—An introductory ordinance creating the Patterson Municipal Cemetery.
—A request for a trailer park at 1130 Lia St.
—A request to subdivide property on Freeman Street.

In Loving Memory
Kenneth “Kenny” Joseph Hidalgo, Jr., age 71, of Morgan City, LA passed away at The Crossing at Clarity Hospice in Baton Rouge, LA on Thursday, February 25, 2021.
Kenny was born and raised in Morgan City, LA. He received his Bachelor’s degree in History from Nicholls State University. Kenny worked most of his career in Marine related industries and retired from his final employment as security for Allied Universal. He enjoyed his time socializing and playing at the casinos, and he loved watching LSU football with friends and family.
Kenny is survived by his daughter, Amanda Hidalgo (Timothy Hasten); his sister, Laura Hidalgo; his brother, Robert Hidalgo (Melissa); a host of furry grandchildren (favorites being Hendrix and Samia); nephews, Curt Matherne, Marc Matherne, Kenneth Daigle, Jayson Hidalgo and Devin Hidalgo; and nieces, Carly Matherne and Lauren Daigle Poling.
He was predeceased by his parents, Kenneth Hidalgo, Sr. and Margie Toerner Hidalgo, and his sister, Carolyn “Peanut” Hidalgo.
Per his wishes, Kenny will not have a service and will be placed near his beloved mother’s and uncle’s resting site. In honor of Kenny, please raise a glass for him at the next LSU football game. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Kenny’s name to the American Cancer Society or to the American Stroke Association.