About Coronavirus

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among animals, including camels, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people such as has been seen with recent outbreaks of MERS and SARS.

Questions about Coronavirus?

If you have questions about coronavirus, please contact the Louisiana 211 Network by dialing dial 211. Or, you can text the keyword LACOVID to 898-211 for the most current information about the outbreak as it becomes available.

Symptoms

For confirmed infections, reported illnesses have ranged from infected people with little to no symptoms (similar to the common cold) to people being severely ill and dying. Symptoms can include:

Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 after exposure.

There is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for COVID-19 infection. People infected with COVID-19 should receive supportive care to help relieve symptoms.

How does novel coronavirus spread?

Health experts are still learning the details about how this new coronavirus spreads. Other coronaviruses spread from an infected person to others through:

Through respiratory droplets produced when coughing and sneezing
Close personal contact
Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes

Risk to the Public

To minimize the risk of spread, Louisiana officials are advising the public to practice social distancing by not gathering with large groups of people. Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in Louisiana and introduce the virus to new communities.

Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.

The Department of Health is also working with health care providers to promptly identify and evaluate any suspected cases.

Confirmed cases in Louisiana have ranged from mild illness (similar to a common cold) to severe pneumonia that requires hospitalization. So far, deaths have been reported mainly in older adults who had other health conditions.

Keeping Workplaces, Schools, Home and Commercial Establishments Safe:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/workplace-school-and-home-guidance.pdf

In order to comply with an order from Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards to cancel all public gatherings of 50 or more, many attractions, concerts, events, and festivals have taken additional significant measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by postponing or canceling activities; however, the situation will be reevaluated seven days prior. All movie theaters and bars will also be closed. Restaurants are limited to delivery, take out and drive-through orders only.

The organizations below have directly communicated about their plans, but please assume that many of the events/businesses are working on revisions or alternative plans. We will update the information as soon as we receive updates.

We believe in the many benefits of travel and tourism as well as the resilience of our industry. Education and preparation are key to the safety and security of public health during this outbreak.

Travelers are encouraged to always exercise healthy travel habits to protect themselves against infection:

Wash hands frequently with soap and water
Do not touch your mouth, nose, and eyes with unwashed hands