Louisiana Hospitals Facing Staffing Shortage Due to COVID

Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana has reached out to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for help. No, it's not unusual for the Governor of Louisiana to reach out to FEMA for assistance. We've done it in recent years to help with flooding and hurricanes. Now we need federal help to provide healthcare workers for our very overtaxed healthcare system.

Governor Edwards has reportedly asked FEMA for approximately 700 healthcare workers. So far, the Governor has not heard back from the Feds on that request. Currently, Louisiana hospitals are housing 1,557 COVID-19 patients. That increased population due to the coronavirus is really spreading our healthcare workforce very thin.

However, just a lot of patients are only part of the problem for healthcare workers helping to defeat this pandemic. Remember, they are at ground zero and despite their protective clothing, masks, and protocols there are still healthcare workers who become exposed to the virus. 

When that happens that worker is off the schedule for the same required quarantine time as you and I, except they may be subject to even more stringent return to work requirements.

One way that you and I can help out the current healthcare crisis is to not put ourselves in harm's way. That might mean wearing a mask in public places, avoiding large crowds and gatherings, and of course, frequent hand washing and hand sanitizing.