NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana could get its highest amount of vaccine doses next week as Johnson & Johnson's COVID vaccine could be shipped to the state along with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Dr. Joseph Kanter, who leads the state health department, said that Louisiana will have nearly 135,000 vaccine doses next week if everything goes as planned, allowing the state to start having more mass vaccine events.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has not yet received the emergency authorization, but that is anticipated.
Kanter said Louisiana expects 52,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, 45,000 of Moderna's and 37,000 or 38,000 does from J&J.
Kanter and Gov. John Bel Edwards say the J&J vaccine will bring a number of advantages, most specifically that it only requires one shot and no return visit.
In addition, Kanter said that the cases of COVID in Louisiana and across the country continue to decline quickly from the spike over Christmas and New Year's.
With three different vaccines available here soon, Kanter said there is no reason to try to get any particular vaccine more than another.
"The first chance that someone has to get the vaccine, they should get it," he said.
With Louisiana's current COVID emergency order set to expire next Wednesday, Edwards addressed the media to update the state's response to COVID, the latest numbers and an update on vaccine distribution.
He said that any information about a change in the current COVID emergency order would come at a press conference next Tuesday. He said he does anticipate a new order and not a rollover of the current one.
Louisiana is currently in a Modified Phase-2 plan that Edwards extended right before Mardi Gras over concern that the holiday could become another super spreader event.
“Our conduct should not change in the foreseeable future,” Gov. Edwards said at the time. “Please, be very smart and very courteous about how you act and please wear your mask, distance, wash your hands frequently, stay home when you are sick, protect the vulnerable and, when you are able to do so, get vaccinated.”
Edwards is most likely to announce any change sometime early next week when there is a better indication if there has been a spike in cases.
However, recent numbers from the Louisiana Department of Health indicate that cases, hospitalizations and deaths are trending downward markedly in recent weeks.
The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Louisiana dropped below 700 on Tuesday, as the state adds to its streak of days with declining hospitalizations.
The Louisiana Department of Health reported Wednesday that 687 people were hospitalized across the state the day before. Of those patients, 102 required ventilators. The figure is at its lowest level since Nov. 12 as the virus’ third surge through the state was first starting.
Just this week the state expanded the criteria for those who could receive the vaccine to include K-12 teachers and people between the ages of 55-64 with certain health conditions.
