Gov. Edwards talks Pres. Biden visit, infrastructure, COVID-19, and more in weekly press conference
Gov. Edwards discusses President Biden's visit, the importance of investing in infrastructure, COVID vaccines, and more in his weekly press conference
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Updated: 6:07 PM CDT May 5, 2021
Gabbii King
Gov. Edwards talks Pres. Biden visit, infrastructure, COVID-19, and more in weekly press conference
Gov. Edwards discusses President Biden's visit, the importance of investing in infrastructure, COVID vaccines, and more in his weekly press conference
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Updated: 6:07 PM CDT May 5, 2021
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GOOD AFTERNOON, RIGHT NOW. WE’RE GETTING AN UPDATE FROM GOVERNOR JOHN BELL EDWARDS HE’S EXPECTED TO TALK ABOUT OUR STATE’S COVID-19 RESPONSE AS WELL AS PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S VISIT TOMORROW AND THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. LET’S GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOU LIVE TO BATON ROUGE FOR A LISTEN THE WORLD PROGRESS IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST THE COVID PANDEMIC. WE’LL START BY NOTING THAT TODAY IS NATIONAL INTERPRETER APPRECIATION DAY. SO I WANT TO THANK ALL SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS TO INCLUDE GAYLE CORONADO. WHO IS WITH US TODAY THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO TO FACILITATE THE COMMUNICATION OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO LOUISIANA’S? WHO ARE PART OF THE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING COMMUNITY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. BEFORE I GET TO THE COVID UPDATE I DID TO NOTE THAT. I’LL BE HAPPY TOMORROW TO WELCOME PRESIDENT BIDEN BACK TO LOUISIANA. WILL BE VISITING LAKE CHARLES AND THEN NEW ORLEANS. TO DISCUSS HIS INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN AND PERSONALLY I CAN’T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE. TO DO THAT AND IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE HERE IN LOUISIANA. AND AROUND THE COUNTRY. I’LL BE JOINING THE PRESIDENT AND LAKE CHARLES TOMORROW AT THE BRIDGE. AND AGAIN, THIS IS FITTING. INFRASTRUCTURE IN LOUISIANA ROADS AND BRIDGES HAVE BEEN GIVEN A D+ GRADE. LOUISIANA HAS 1,634 BRIDGES IN POOR CONDITION. LATER THAT DAY. HE WILL TOUR WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE IN NEW ORLEANS. AND IT WILL SEE FIRSTHAND THE STRUGGLES THAT WE FACE. IS MORE THAN 50% OF OUR WATER SYSTEMS HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE? THAT IS AT LEAST 50 YEARS OLD. IT’S ALSO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO VISIT LAKE CHARLES BECAUSE WE ARE STILL REBUILDING FROM HURRICANES LAURA AND DELTA AND MUCH ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED AND THAT ASSISTANCE REALLY CAN ONLY COME FROM. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THE STORMS WERE LAST YEAR, BUT WE ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR FAMILIES SO THAT THEY CAN FULLY RECOVER AND THAT ADDITIONAL FEDERAL SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF A DISASTER APPROPRIATION. FOR THE PERMANENT HOUSING AND RESILIENCY. THAT WE NEED TO BE ENGAGED IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. I WILL ALSO BE THANKING HIM FOR LOUISIANA’S FUNDING FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN IF YOU MAY REMEMBER LAST WEEK ON THURSDAY, I ANNOUNCED. OUR PLAN FOR THE USE OF THOSE DOLLARS AND IT’S VERY HEAVY ON INFRASTRUCTURE. SO THAT WILL I THINK TYING VERY WELL WITH HIS VISIT AS WELL. ANOTHER PRIORITY THAT WE ANNOUNCED AS JUMPSTARTING TOURISM AGAIN IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY, WHICH IS WE ALL KNOW TOOK A HUGE HIT LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC I’VE DECLARED THIS WEEK TRAVELING TOURISM WEEK IN LOUISIANA TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS VITAL INDUSTRY IN OUR STATE. I THINK WE HAVE A ONCE-IN-A-TIME OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THIS SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING. 3.2 BILLION DOLLARS IN TOTAL FOR THE STATE TWO BILLION DOLLARS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUT IT TO GOOD TRANSFORMATIVE USE AND YOU REALLY CAN’T DO THAT IF YOU DIVIDE IT UP DOZENS OF DIFFERENT WAYS BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH OF AN INVESTMENT IN ANY ONE AREA TO HAVE THAT TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT THAT WE’RE ALL LOOKING FOR. AND SO I THINK THE PLAN THAT WE LAID OUT IS A VERY SMART. USE OF ONE-TIME FUNDS THAT PLAN WAS DEVELOPED AFTER CONSULTING WITH PEOPLE ALL ACROSS, LOUISIANA. IN EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY OF OUR STATE TALKING TO THE STATE AGENCIES WHO OVERSEE EFFORTS RELATED TO WATER TO SEWER TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND SO FORTH AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING THESE PRIORITIES WITH THE PRESIDENT DURING HIS VISIT. AND NOW WE’LL GET TO COVID TODAY. WE’RE REPORTING 459 CASES ON 17, 686 NEW TESTS VERY SADLY. WE’RE ALSO REPORTING MORE DEATHS. 13 MORE DEATHS A DAY THE TOTAL NOW IS 10,418 SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 338 COVID-19 PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL. THAT IS AN INCREASE OF 21. FROM YESTERDAY 33 OF THOSE PATIENTS ARE ON MECHANICAL VENTILATORS AND THAT IS A DECREASE OF FIVE. FROM YESTERDAY RIGHT AT 27% OF ALL LOUISIANA’S ARE FULLY VACCINATED TODAY. AND 32.4% HAVE AT LEAST ONE SHOT. 35% OF ALL ADULT LOUISIANA’S ARE FULLY VACCINATED AND 42% HAVE AT LEAST ONE SHOT LOUISIANA IN 65 OR OLDER 68.5% OF THEM ARE FULLY VACCINATED. AND THAT’S A GOOD NUMBER. BUT THAT MEANS 31 AND A HALF PERCENT OR NOT. AND SO WE’VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO WORK NOT JUST ON THE OLDER LOUISIANA’S BUT ON ALL LOUISIANA’S BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED IN LARGER NUMBERS. AND QUICKLY BUT IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT. THAT NOT ONLY THAT EVERYONE GET VACCINATED, BUT BUT THOSE MORE VULNERABLE. BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE OR HEALTH CONDITION TO COVID-19 OR VACCINATED BECAUSE WHEN WE DO THAT WE CAN BE REASONABLY SURE THAT WE WON’T HAVE THE RUN ON THE HOSPITALS THAT WE HAD IN THE PAST WHEN WE HAD SURGES AND REMIND YOU AGAIN WE HAD WELL OVER 2000 IN THE HOSPITAL AT ONE TIME EARLY IN 2021. BUT WE ALSO WON’T HAVE AS MANY DEATHS. BECAUSE THE WAY THIS WORKS IS YOU GET POSITIVE ONE DAY YOU GET SICK THE FEW DAYS LATER YOU GO IN THE HOSPITAL AFTER THAT AND THEN YOU DIE AFTER THAT AND SO YOU HAVE LAGGING INDICATORS BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IF YOU WANT TO GET TO A ZERO DEATH COUNT YOU GOT TO HAVE POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE FRONT SIDE OF ALL OF THAT WE CAN DO THAT NOW THROUGH VACCINATIONS AS WELL AS CONTINUING TO SLOW THE TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS. SO IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE GET THE VACCINE INCLUDING YOUNGER PEOPLE. BECAUSE YOUNG PEOPLE BY THE WAY. OFTEN GET SICK. BUT EVEN IF THEY DON’T THEY BECOME CONTAGIOUS AND THEY CAN CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE VIRUS TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO WILL IN FACT GET SICK AND BE ONE OF THE ONES WHO END UP IN THE HOSPITAL OR WORSE? I CAN TELL YOU THAT I’M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT THAT ON MOTHER’S DAY THIS COMING SUNDAY. I WILL BE ABLE TO PERSONALLY VISIT WITH MY MOTHER INSIDE WITHOUT DISTANCING WITHOUT MASS BECAUSE SHE AND I ARE FULLY VACCINATED AND SO THAT A MOTHER’S DAY CELEBRATION WILL LOOK LIKE MOTHER’S DAYS OF THE PAST AND NOT MOTHER’S DAY OF 2020 THAT’S SOMETHING THAT’S AVAILABLE TO ALL OF US AND WE CAN DO IT SAFELY. I’LL KNOW. I’M NOT GIVING HER. THE VIRUS SHE’LL KNOW. SHE’S NOT GIVING IT TO ME AND WE CAN RELAX AND HAVE A MOTHER’S DAY LIKE WE ALL SHOULD DESIRE AND SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE NOT JUST BECAUSE OF MOTHER’S DAY, BUT FOR ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET TOGETHER WITH INDIVIDUALS AND CELEBRATE, PLEASE GET YOUR VACCINATION. THE SOONER THE BETTER WE HAVE THREE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINES. AND THEY ARE AVAILABLE MORE THAN 1500 LOCATIONS IN LOUISIANA TODAY. IF YOU NEED TO FIND A PROVIDER FOR A SHOT IF YOU WANT TO ASK A QUESTION TO MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ABOUT THE VACCINE, PLEASE. CALL OUR HOTLINE. AT ONE EIGHT FIVE FIVE FOUR FIVE THREE AGAIN THAT HOTLINE IS AVAILABLE TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS TO FIND A PROVIDER OR TO ASK QUESTIONS OF A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. WE WANT YOU TO BE CONFIDENT ABOUT THE VACCINE WE KNOW AND BELIEVE THAT IT’S THAT THEY ARE ALL SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WE WANT YOU TO. FEEL THAT WAY AS WELL. PLEASE CALL THAT NUMBER ONE EIGHT FIVE FIVE FOUR 5 3 0 7 7 4. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ALSO LAUNCHED SEVERAL USEFUL TOOLS FOR FINDING AND PROVIDER. ONE WAY IS TO TEXT YOUR ZIP CODE TO GET VACS G-E-T-VAX. AND THAT NUMBER IS FOUR THREE EIGHT EIGHT TWO NINE AGAIN TEXTURE ZIP CODE. 4 3 8 8 2 9 AND IT WILL SEND YOU A LIST OF THE LIST CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON VACCINES.GOV. I DO WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF SOME NEW OPERATING HOURS FOR THE COMMUNITY VACCINATION SITE IN BATON ROUGE. STARTING THIS SUNDAY MOTHER’S DAY MAY THE 9TH. THEY WILL BE CLOSED ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY AND OPEN 10 AM TO 6 PM. TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE’S ALSO A VACCINE POP UP AT THE MALL OF LOUISIANA IN THE FORMER, WILLIAM. SONOMA STORE IN THE FIRST FLOOR IT OPENS YESTERDAY AND IT’LL BE OPEN TOMORROW AS WELL TODAY AND TOMORROW FROM SIX. I’M SORRY FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM AND THEN ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, MAY THE 7TH AND MAY THE 8TH IT WOULD BE OPEN FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM. I’M ALSO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT TODAY. WE’RE LAUNCHING A FEATURE ON LA WALLET THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO ACCESS YOUR COVID-19 VACCINATION RECORD IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO. LA WALLET IS LOUISIANA’S DIGITAL LICENSE APP AND IT IS OPTIONAL AND FREE AND EASY TO USE. AND I’VE ENJOYED SEEING HOW EXCITED PEOPLE GET ABOUT RECEIVING THEIR COVID VACCINE CARD, BUT INEVITABLY SOME OF US ARE GOING TO LOSE THEM. AND NEED TO REPLACE THEM. IN FACT THAT’S ALREADY HAPPENED. AND MANY PEOPLE JUST PREFER HAVING THE OPTION OF A DIGITAL RECORD AGAIN, THIS ENHANCEMENT LA WALLET IS FREE. IT’S A SECURE WAY TO ACCESS YOUR OWN PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION. AND IF SOMEONE WANTS TO HAVE A DIGITAL COPY OF THEIR VACCIN. RECORD, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT. EASILY AND AT NO COST WHICH IS WHAT THIS OPTIONAL FEATURE AT LA WHAT IT ALLOWS SO IF YOU DON’T ALREADY HAVE LA WALLET, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT THROUGH THE APPLE STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY. AT THIS TIME I’M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO DR. KANNER FOR HIS UPDATES. THERE ARE SOME EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE COMING IN TERMS OF YOUNGER PEOPLE BEING ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID-19 VACCINE. I BELIEVE IT’S GOING TO BE THE FATHER VARIETY. HE’LL SPEAK MORE ABOUT THIS, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE DO EXPECT. TO HAVE THIS VACCINE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WITH FDA AND CDC APPROVAL IN THE NEAR FUTURE. SO WITH THAT I’LL GIVE IT UP TO JOE CANNON AND I’LL COME BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU GOVERNOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL. ALSO WANTED TO MENTION IN ADDITION TO INTERPRETER RECOGNITION WEEK. IT’S ALSO PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK AND WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY DEVOTED PUBLIC SERVANTS IN LOUISIANA THAT YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY THROUGHOUT COVID HAVE JUST BEEN PULLING AWAY ABOVE THE PAY GRADE. SO I WANTED TO GIVE THEM RECOGNITION AND LET THEM KNOW ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND SECRETARY PHILLIPS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR ALL AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING DURING THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS THAT WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO THEN. THANK YOU FOR THAT. OUR COVID-19 NUMBERS IN TERMS OF EPI NUMBERS CONTINUE TO BE RELATIVELY REASSURING AND I’LL RUN THROUGH SOME STATS RIGHT NOW AS OF TODAY PERCENT POSITIVITY OF ALL TESTS CONDUCTED ON THE STATE IS DOWN FROM 2.8 TO 2.7% NINE. EXCUSE ME, SIX OUT OF NINE REGIONS IN THE STATE HAVE HAD DECREASES IN PERCENT POSITIVITY THE REMAINING THREE HAVE HAD VERY SMALL INCREASES. WE ARE NOW COMPARED ALL 50 STATES T LOWEST IN TERMS OF NEW CASES DAY BY DAY THE NINTH LOWEST IN TERMS OF PERCENT POSITIVITY. AND THE FIFTH LOWEST IN TERMS OF I THINK IS ENCOURAGING PROGRESS PARTICULARLY THAT IT’S A MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY HERE, BUT CLEARLY WE HAVE WORK TO DO THE DATA COMPLETION ON THAT IS 69% WE HAVE ETHNICITY DATA ON 69% OF EVERY VACCINE THAT’S BEEN ADMINISTERED TO COMPARE THAT TO NATIONAL NUMBERS, WHICH I’D LIKE TO DO WERE AHEAD OF THE CURVE ON THIS. SO NATIONALLY, THIS IS ACCORDING TO THE CDC 12.3% OF ALL VACCINE ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE GONE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC THAT GROUP REPRESENTS 18.5% OF OF THE US POPULATION. SO THE US IS RUNNING 66% OF PREDICTED A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN LOUISIANA IS EVEN MORE NOTABLE IS THE DATA IN LOUISIANA IS MUCH MORE COMPLETE THE NATIONAL DATA NATIONALLY THE CDC ONLY HAS INFORMATION ON 55% OF VACCINE ADMINISTRATIONS AGAIN, WE IN LOUISIANA HAVE DATA ON ETHNICITY DATA ON 69% AND I’LL TELL YOU THAT REALLY IS AS A RESULT OF THE HARD WORK OF THE PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT I KIND OF GAVE NOD TO EARLIER ON SO WE HAVE WE HAVE DECENT QUALITY DATA, AND I’M ENCOURAGED BY THE PROGRESS. WE’VE MADE IN HISPANIC COMMUNITY. I KNOW WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO THERE. I DO WANT TO MENTION A NEW FEATURE THAT’S AVAILABLE ON. OUR LOUISIANA VACCINE HOTLINE, AND THAT IS THE ABILITY TO BRING VACCINE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMEBOUND. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SERVICE JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE SUFFERS WITH A DISABILITY OR FOR OTHER REASONS IS HOMEBOUND. THEY CERTAINLY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO REVEAL THEMSELVES AT THE PROTECTION OF THE VACCINE AND THAT’S WHAT THIS SERVICE DOES. SO THE HOTLINE NUMBER WHICH WE’VE SAID BEFORE I’LL SAY IT AGAIN IS EIGHT FIVE FIVE FOUR FIVE THREE ZERO SEVEN SEVEN FOUR IT’S OPEN UNTIL 8 PM SEVEN DAYS A WEEK IF YOU ARE HOMEBOUND IF YOU CARE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS HOMEBOUND, YOU CAN CALL THAT NUMBER WE CAN TAKE DOWN YOUR INFORMATION AND LINK YOU WITH A TEAM THAT CAN COME ON SITE TO YOUR HOUSE AND PROVIDE THAT VACCINATION. THAT’S AN IMPORTANT SERVICE. WE’VE NOW HAD OVER 3,000 PEOPLE CALL THAT HOTLINE AND JUST OVER 1100 HAVE BEEN CONNECTED WITH VACCINE APPOINTMENTS. SO IT’S STILL A VALUABLE SERVICE TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE VACCINE TO GET CONNECTED WITH THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. IF YOU HAVE MORE GRANULAR QUESTIONS TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN APPOINTMENT MADE FOR YOU AT A VACCINATION SITE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND NOW IF YOU OR YOU IF YOUR HOMEBOUND OR YOU CARE FOR SOMEONE WHO’S HOMEBOUND WE CAN ACTUALLY BRING VACCINE TO YOU AND WE’RE VERY PROUD TO OFFER THAT SERVICE. LOOKING FORWARD TO DO WANT TO LET FOLKS KNOW WHAT OUR VACCINE ALLOTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE AND I’LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A CHANGE IN HOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IS GOING TO RUN VACCINE ALLOTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO FOR THE CURRENT WEEK THAT WE’RE IN NOW WE ARE ALLOTTED A TOTAL OF 130,130 DOSES OF VACCINE THAT BREAKS DOWN TO 69,000 AND 30 PFIZER. 50,700 MEDINA AND 10,400 JOHNSON & JOHNSON FOR NEXT WEEK. WE WILL BE ALLOTTED AT 127,730 DOSES THAT BREAKS DOWN AS THE SAME 69,030 DOSES OF PFIZER. I SHOULD SAY. THESE ARE ALL FIRST DOSES THAT USUALLY A SECOND DOSE FOLLOW AN INCREASE OF MODERNA TO 51,900 AND 8,000 JOHNSON AND JOHNSON DOSES WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED EARLY THIS WEEK IS IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FROM A NUMBER OF STATES. GOING TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO OTHER STATES. WITH HIGHER DEMAND ANY EXCESS VACCINE THAT IS NOT ORDERED BY A CURRENT STATE THE ENTIRE ALLOTMENT WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE TO EACH STATE ANYTHING. THAT’S THAT’S LEFT AFTER THAT UNORDERED WILL ESSENTIALLY GO INTO A POD AND BE DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER STATES THAT ARE SEEING INCREASED VOLUME OF VACCINATIONS RIGHT NOW BY US. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PLAN BECAUSE IF DOSES IT SHOULDN’T BE ON A SHELF THEY GO TO USE SOMEWHERE AND IN THE END. I THINK THAT THAT SERVES EVERYONE’S INTERESTS. SO FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS WE HAVE NOT NEEDED TO ORDER THE ENTIRE ALLOTMENT THAT HAS BEEN AVAILABLE TO US. SO THIS NO ONE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS ENOUGH VACCINE FOR EVERYONE IN LOUISIANA. THAT MIGHT WANT ONE THERE IS ENOUGH SECOND DOSES ON HAND FOR ANYONE THAT NEEDS IT. THIS IS TRULY JUST EXCESS VACCINE DOSES AND I’LL TELL YOU CUMULATIVELY, LOUISIANA HAS ORDERED 80 81.8% OF ALL VACCINE DOSES MADE AVAILABLE TO US. ARE THE FEDS OF THAT 99.7% HAS ACTUALLY BEEN DELIVERED AND IN STATE AND OF THAT 73% OF THOSE DOSES HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED INTO PEOPLE’S ARMS. SOME OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT HAVE COME. FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THIS PAST WEEK. THERE WILL BE ENCOURAGING WALK-INS IN RETAIL PHARMACIES OFFERING VACCINES. SO PRIOR TO THIS IT WAS A REAL FOCUS ON ASKING PEOPLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND WHAT THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO BE DOING PARTICULARLY TO THE LARGE RETAIL PHARMACY CHAINS OF WHICH WE HAVE A NUMBER WHICH IN, LOUISIANA. WALGREENS CVS WALMART KROGER BERKSHIRES, FOR EXAMPLE PEOPLE WILL BE ENCOURAGED IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO TO JUST TO WALK IN AS A CONVENIENCE FACTOR AND THAT’S ENCOURAGING. ALSO AS THE GOVERNOR MENTIONED THERE’S A FEDERAL TEXT HOTLINE TO GET INFORMATION ON VACCINE SITES NEAR YOU SENT TO YOU AND THE GOVERNOR SAID IT. I’LL SAY IT ONE MORE TIME IF YOU TEXT YOUR ZIP CODE TO GET VACS AND THAT SPELLS OUT AS FOUR THREE EIGHT EIGHT TWO NINE. YOU WILL GET SPIT BACK AS A TEXT MESSAGE A LIST OF VACCINE PROVIDERS IN YOUR ZIP CODE. IT’S A HANDY FEATURE A QUICK WAY TO GET SOME VACCINE SITES NEAR YOU THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALSO HAS A NEW VACCINE FINDER SITE. IT’S AT VACCINES. GOV AND IT PROVIDES A VERY SIMILAR SERVICE. YOU COULD PUT A NEW ZIP CODE OR YOUR ADDRESS AND I’LL SHOW YOU ALL THE VACCINE AND WHO HAS TORY ON HAND NEAR YOU SO ALL OF THOSE SHOULD MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CONVENIENT FOR PEOPLE TO FIND OUT WHERE THEY CAN GET VACCINE CLOSE TO HOME. I’M VERY EXCITED TO LEARN THAT WE HAVE EVERY EXPECTATION NOW THAT IN THE COMING WEEK THE FDA IS GOING TO LIKELY AMEND THEIR EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION OF THE FISER VACCINE AND EXTENDED DOWN TO INDIVIDUALS 12 YEARS OF AGE. AND ABOVE THIS IS AN EXCITING DEVELOPMENT FIRES ARE HAD SUBMITTED DATA A FEW WEEKS AGO FOR THAT AGE GROUP OF 12 THROUGH 15 YEAR OLD AGE GROUP AND THE DATA THEY SUBMITTED WAS REALLY ENCOURAGING. OF COURSE, THAT’S NOT ALL THE DATA THAT’S OUT THERE AND AS BOTH THE FDA AND THE CDC MEET NEXT WEEK, THEY’LL BE MORE DATA RELEASED AND WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO REVIEWING THAT DATA CLOSELY, BUT IF IT TRACKS ALONG WITH WHAT’S ALREADY PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, IT’S IT’S VERY VERY ENCOURAGING THE DATA SHOWS HIGH HIGH. IN GREAT SAFETY IN THE AGE GROUPS OF 12 TO 15 WITH THE FISER VACCINE. SO WE DO EXPECT THE FDA TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS EARLY NEXT WEEK, AND THEN WE BELIEVE THE CDC’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES WILL MEET WEEK FROM TODAY ON WEDNESDAY THE 12TH TO REVIEW AND MAKE FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS. WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE NOW IS IF YOU HAVE A CHILD WHO’S BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12 AND 15. TALK TO YOUR PEDIATRICIAN NOW. DON’T WAIT FOR THIS TO COME OUT NEXT WEEK BE THINKING ABOUT IT BE TALKING TO YOUR PEDIATRICIAN GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. I THINK PEOPLE HAVE REASONABLE QUESTIONS, VERY REASONABLE QUESTIONS, AND THERE’S VERY REASONABLE EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWERS OUT THERE. TAKE YOUR TIME. NOW IF YOU HAVE AN ADOLESCENT OR SOMEONE BETWEEN AGE OF 12 AND 15 IN YOUR HOUSE. SEE YOUR PEDIATRICIAN. TALK TO YOUR PEDIATRICIAN GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION WHERE