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BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Department of Health reports a seventh death related to COVID-19.
The 72-year-old individual was a Jefferson Parish resident. There is no known connection to the Lambeth House.
The State’s fifth and sixth COVID-19 related deaths were reported earlier on Wednesday. This is the first COVID-19 death in Jefferson Parish.
Going forward, LDH will report COVID-19 related deaths twice per day, at 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., as needed.
While older individuals and those with underlying medical conditions are at greater risk, everyone can become exposed to COVID-19 and must be vigilant to protect their health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some of the serious chronic health conditions include heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.

Everyone is warned to take the necessary precautions to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and stay safe and healthy.

These precautions include:
Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds and frequently
Covering your cough or sneeze with your arm
Avoiding touching your face
Routinely cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces
Avoiding close contact with others
And staying home if you are sick
About the Louisiana Department of Health

Abbeville General is continuing its efforts in response to COVID-19 (coronavirus).
Ray A. Landry, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer at Abbeville General Hospital, said in response to an increase in COVID-19 cases in the state, the hospital is taking precautions to protect its healthcare workers, staff, providers and patients.
“As our COVID 19 event evolves,” Landry said, “social distancing has become a prevalent strategy in reducing exposure to this infection. You should take every step in maintaining a 6ft distance between all individuals and refrain from all personal contact to the extent possible. You should also educate your family on this process and encourage strict adherence. In addition, continue to wash your hands consistently as this is another large deterrent to the spread of this virus. We have been in frequent communication with the governor’s office, Louisiana Department of Health, local government and other local hospitals to prepare and stay up-to-date on all current standards and guidelines. We have been planning for this and are prepared to maintain the safety of our staff, healthcare team, and patients.
“We appreciate your cooperation during this time.”

A Partial Lockdown and HERT team activation was initiated on March 12, at 6:30 a.m.

Abbeville General implemented the following:
• Reduced entry and exit points in the facility. (No one under the age of 18 is allowed into the building unless they are here for treatment. Visitation 10am-7pm.)
• Screening of all staff, visitors, and patients entering the building
- Volunteer services have been suspended indefinitely
- Non-essential vendors will not be allowed entry. Essential vendors are those bringing necessary hospital supplies
and/or supplies for procedures.
- Trained staff to identify and handle any potential COVID-19 patients
- Dedicated Rooms for Management of Coronavirus Patients
- Environmental services to increase cleaning frequency for high touch spots in hallways, elevators, door knobs.
- All Meetings as a large group for the next four weeks are cancelled.
- Practice social distancing at work to extent possible. You should take every step in maintaining a 6ft distance
between all individuals and refrain from all personal contact. Encourage this. Remind others. Use email to
communicate to extent possible. Have employees educate their families about social distancing.
- Abbey Café (Cafeteria) is now closed to the public. Employees encouraged to eat at their desk or in department
lounge.
- Managers should interview for needed positions by phone, email or texting. Interviewees should not enter the
hospital buildings other than the small lobby in HR, only if required.
- Sleep Center Program Suspended until further notice
- Detox Program Suspended until further notice
- Specialty Clinic Suspended until further notice
- Partial Program Suspended until further notice
- Outpatient Diabetic Education Suspended until further notice
- BMC Visitation Suspended until further notice
- Suspension of Hospital Construction Projects
Please see the updated information below and Guidelines for reducing the risk of infection.
SCREENING
All staff, visitors, and patients, including vendors and contractors, will be screened at designated entry points, including the Emergency Room. All visitors will be screened by a team member prior to entry and based on CDC guidance. No visitor will be permitted into our facilities if they meet any of the following criteria:
1. Are under the age of 18
2. Shows signs of symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat
(Take Temps if anyone has been exposed or is symptomatic)
3. In the last 14 days has had contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, or under investigation for COVID-19 or are ill with respiratory illness (if YES, mask and NOTIFY AO immediately) **Any Employee exposed to a person with known COVID-19 MUST notify the AO immediately!
4. New screening question: Have you traveled out of the country, state, or visited Orleans Parish or Jefferson Parish in the past 14 days? If the answer is yes, the visitor will not be allowed to enter the facility. Those areas include:
• Gretna
• Westwego
• Avondale
• Elmwood
• Jefferson
• Metairie
• Timberlane
• Harahan
• Grand Isle
• Barataria
• Estelle
• Lafitte
• River Ridge
• Waggaman
• Kenner
• Cheniere
• Caminada
• Bridge City
• Harvey
• Marrero
• Terrytown
• Woodmere

5. Non-essential vendors will not be allowed entry.
or supplies for procedures.
Essential vendors are those bringing necessary Hospital Supplies

EMTALA STILL APPLIES regarding medical screening performed by ER personnel. Ask and Mask step applies.

VISITATION
Visitation of patients will be limited to one visitor per patient per day. Visitor must be 18 years or older. These visitors may be required to wear PPE.
Visitation will be from 10am – 7pm. Visitation will be strictly enforced.
All visitors and patients, including vendors and contractors, will be screened at designated entry points, including the Emergency Room. Visitors will be required to wash their hands, sign in, and must be banded before being allowed to continue to their destination.
Work related visitation is to be curtailed and resort to video conferencing. All unnecessary traffic by salesman and vendors within the building is to cease.
The number of entry points to the hospital will be restricted. Emergency Room entrance is the designated entry point for visitors. This entry point will be manned 24/7. Minimal staffing will be a security officer and HRET Team Member.

BADGE PROTOCOL
All staff must wear identification badges. Visitors must be banded. Incident Command and HRET Team activation effective 12 March 2020 0630

Beginning Wednesday, the Vermilion Parish School Board will be offering grab-and-go meals from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on weekdays.
Each child will receive a lunch meal and  a breakfast meal for the next morning. 
There is no registration required. No identification is needed. 
There is no cost to receive the meals. Any child age 18 and under may come to get the meals. This does include students, siblings, friends, family members, toddlers, and those who attend private or parochial schools. 
The child must be present to receive the meal, no exceptions. 
Meals will be provided with drive-thru service. Walk-up service should only be used if the child/children have no other way to get to the school sites. The meals will be brought to the cars and/or students, please remain in the car. 
The sites open for service meal service are: 

• Cecil Picard Elementary,
• Dozier Elementary, 
• Eaton Park Elementary, Gueydan High, 
• J. H. Williams Middle
• Rene Rost Middle School. 

All VPSB students with special diet prescriptions on file, please call the Meal Service Hotline at 898-5702. 
“Schools do more than educate our children; they also provide them with healthy, nutritious meals,” said Acting Louisiana Superintendent Beth Scioneaux. “Despite classrooms being closed to students, schools have stepped up to ensure no child in their community goes hungry during this uncertain time.”
All public schools in Louisiana will be closed to students from March 16 until the end of April, according to an emergency proclamation signed by Gov. John Bel Edwards to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Louisiana. While it is not required, school systems and schools may serve a maximum of two free meals per day to children age 18 and younger, regardless of where the child is enrolled in school, during the closure period. They may offer breakfast, lunch, a snack or dinner at all school sites or at select sites.

ABBEVILLE — Funeral Services for Mrs. Velta Menard Campbell, 95, will be held at 2:00PM on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at David Funeral Home Chapel of Abbeville with Tommy Henderson officiating. Interment will follow at St. Paul Cemetery.
Visitation will be at David Funeral Home of Abbeville on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the services.
A native of Erath and a resident of Abbeville, Mrs. Campbell died at 9:30 P.M. on Friday, March 13, 2020 at Maison de Monde Living Center.
She looked forward to a future paradise on earth with conditions as promised at Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes and death will be no more…” Velta was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses for close to 49 years. She always enjoyed reading from her Bible daily. In her spare time, she enjoyed shopping, camping, and music. Friends and family would always say that she was the life of the party.
She will always be remembered as a kind and loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
She leaves to cherish her memory two daughters, Jane Dartez and her husband Bob, and Sherry Hargrave; a step son, Charles Campbell and his wife Ruth; a daughter in law, Deborah Campbell; nine grandchildren, Steve Kelly and his wife Courtney and their children Kennedy and Emme; Stephanie Gaspard and her husband Brian and their children Seth and Lane; Denny Dartez and his wife Hallie and their children Cole and Alex; Roxanne Roche’, Rhonda Campbell, Susanne Talbot, Jason Campbell, Jarrett Campbell, and Lara Campbell; and fourteen other great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lenas Campbell; her father, Elue Menard; her mother, Esta Bouillion Trahan; her step father, Thomas Trahan; two half brothers, Brad Trahan and Rayfay Trahan; and a step son, Vernice Campbell.
Serving as pallbearers will be Denny Dartez, Steve Kelly, Seth Veazey, Brian Gaspard, Tanner Roche’, and Neil Roche’.
The family would like to express our appreciation for the many expressions of kindness, support, and love you have shown to us during this period of bereavement.
Also we would like to especially thank everyone on the staff of Maison du Monde for their care and support.
You may sign the guest register book and express condolences online at www.davidfuneralhome.org
David Funeral Home of Abbeville at 2600 Charity St. (337)893-3777 will be handling the arrangements.