NEW ORLEANS — Carnival season is here, with some of the first big parades rolling this weekend! But medical experts say it's not the time to let your guard down.
With thousands of tourists traveling to New Orleans for the festivities, the concern is that the healthcare system is going to be overwhelmed yet again.
"After Mardi Gras, we'll be monitoring very closely because we know with seasons where people gather, those are the times where COVID spreads throughout our population," said Dr. Katherine Baumgarten, Medical Director of Infection Prevention with Ochsner Health.
However, the number of COVID cases seems to have reached its peak in Orleans Parish. Case counts have continued to drop from the all-time high of the 1,368 in one day reached in early January.
But doctors say it's not the time to let down your guard.
"Just because the cases are going down doesn't mean that COVID is gone. It's not gone," Dr. Baugmarten said.
Doctors at LCMC Health are also preparing for a potential rise in cases following the Carnival festivities.
They're making sure the hospitals are ready to go with the supplies they need to care for COVID patients.
"Just like every year for Mardi Gras, we expect that our emergency departments are going to be busy and we're going to see a lot of patients just because there's going to be more people out and about for the parades," said Dr. Jeffrey Elder, Medical Director for Emergency Management at LCMC Health.
Hospital administrators continue to urge the public to help their staff in advance by following the COVID-19 safety measures.
"It's still about doing those same things, wearing masks, social distancing, getting your vaccine, and getting that booster if you've been fully vaccinated," Dr. Baumgarten said.
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