Make a plan, prep for families evacuating

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Every year before hurricane season rolls around, state and local leaders emphasize the importance of having a game plan so families are not scrambling to protect their loved ones and belongings.

As the state prepares to face the dual threats of the pandemic and Hurricane Sally, families should be prepping their homes for evacuees.

Dr. Joseph Kanter, Assistant State Health Officer for the Louisiana Department of Health, says families should consider where they will evacuate and how they can stay safe with family or friends they might temporarily live with.

Experts say evacuation is a risk for COVID transmission. However, families must leave their homes due to Hurricane Sally. Safety precautions must be followed.

It can be easy to get comfortable around family and friends, but a safe distance must be maintained, and masks must be worn inside, Dr. Kanter says.

At any point, if someone is exposed to the virus, Dr. Kanter says they should get tested and quarantine for 14 days beginning at the point of known exposure.

For those that test positive, Dr. Kanter says they are typically infectious for ten days after the positive result. He says a COVID positive patient must be isolated. The LA Dept. of Health recommends creating a ‘sick room’ so the COVID positive patient is completely isolated.

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