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LAPLACE — COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to remain at a low level in St. John the Baptist Parish in May, with 78 new cases and three deaths being reported throughout the parish. This compares with 55 new cases and two deaths in April and 73 new cases with two deaths in March.

We have made remarkable progress in only four months, when we started off the year with 532 new cases in January along with eight deaths. Of course, this has coincided with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, which has proved to be extremely effective at stopping the spread of the virus and virtually all of its variant strains.

Medical research continues to develop more advanced vaccines to protect against the new variant strains which continue to appear around the world. Meanwhile, the rate of vaccination has slowed down significantly, both locally and statewide, which brings cause for concern. We must continue on our path to vaccinate as many people as we can to prevent the spread of this deadly virus, so that we can resume our normal and customary lifestyle and social activities.

 

• Submitted by Dr. Christy Montegut, St. John the Baptist Parish coroner