RESERVE, La. — It may be our best evidence yet about the effectiveness of COVID vaccines.
Over the past year, nursing homes across Louisiana have been an indicator of just how quickly COVID can spread and how deadly it can be for the most vulnerable among us. Now, they’re showing how quickly vaccinations can make an impact.
Visitation is back at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home in Reserve. Even with minimal restrictions, human touch is going a long way.
“A resident's family earlier that left said they hadn't seen their loved one smile in a year and today, he smiled,” Brandee Patrick with the Department of Veterans Affairds said.
Patrick said none of it would be possible without vaccinations. Of the 107 residents, Patrick says at least 90 percent are fully vaccinated.
“Everyone is hopeful. Obviously, the vaccinations have played a big part in this,” Patrick said.
Vaccinations have Dr. Joseph Kanter with the state health department hopeful as well. Dr. Kanter says the vaccination rate inside Louisiana nursing homes is about 80 percent and can easily become a model for the rest of the state.
"This is one of the most encouraging pieces of data that we have seen in the state," Dr. Kanter said.
That data, according to the state health department, shows with the introduction of vaccines inside nursing homes, new cases of COVID are at the lowest levels since monitoring started. For that to happen across the state, Kanter says vaccinations are key.
"Don't wait until you get sick with COVID. By that point it's too late," Dr. Kanter said.
Currently, Dr. Kanter says 28.1 percent of the state’s populations has at least started the vaccine series. Because folks have reservations and questions, demand for the vaccine in Louisiana isn’t quite where Dr. Kanter wants it to be. That's happening as dose amounts coming to the state are increasing.
“As we go forward, it's not going to be an issue of having supply that limits us. It's going to be an issue of how well we're reaching people in the state and how comfortable people in the state feel," Dr. Kanter said.
An increased comfort level is already allowing for some normalcy at the Veteran's Home, even if just through a short visit.
“We're just looking toward the future with hope that these restrictions in the coming months will ease even more,” Patrick said.