JP President on surging numbers: It is very disappointing that we are here

Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng announced the parish is ramping up COVID-19 vaccination and testing as hospitalizations and deaths surge among unvaccinated people.

“It is very disappointing that we are here, I will be the first to say that I was naïve enough to think that after vaccines were widely available that we would not be in this mode of wearing masks again and looking at these high numbers,” said Sheng.

She and other officials today issued a plea to everyone still not vaccinated to get the vaccine and to wear masks in public again to try to slow the rapid spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

Sheng says several COVID hotspots have shown up in parts of the parish with the lowest vaccination rates.

Sheng listed those hotspot areas, “Kenner in the Grand Lake Estates area. Whole chunks of Metairie…David Drive…West Esplanade…Causeway and West Napoleon, which is a big chunk of Metairie.” Sheng continues, “Terrytown…and the Marrero and Woodmere.
Those are very hot spots.”

In the shadow of this fourth COVID surge, Jefferson Parish Coroner, Dr. Gerry Cvitanovic says the parish is back to a place where hospitals are fighting to find enough beds.

“Our healthcare system is busting at the seams, they are overwhelmed,” said Cvitanovic.

Sheng adds that the parish is seeing a growing number of cases of people under 30 now hospitalized with COVID.