LDH does not expect spike in COVID after Mardi Gras, recommends masking if in crowds

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - COVID-19, much like the beads left behind from Mardi Gras past, is still lingering around Louisiana.

After a surge in Omicron cases, the state is declining in cases. Dr. Joseph Kanter with the Louisiana Department of Health said that is good news as the state heads into Carnival season.

“I don’t see Mardi Gras causing us to have another spike particularly because of the time of where it’s falling when it’s coming down,” Dr. Kanter said. “It has the potential to delay and prolong our downswing so to say. We haven’t seen that it’s going to happen yet, but it certainly has the potential.”

Kanter said as long as families and parade-goers stay out of large crowds, they should be relatively safe from COVID. If you do find yourself in a crowd, he recommends masking.

“Going to a parade, if a family is not in a thick crowd, if they’re toward the back and there’s space around them, that’s lower risk. It’s not zero risk but lower risk. If it is crowded at a parade, if they mask that is a way to do it safer,” he said. “Nothing is 100%.”

In Baton Rouge, the medical director for East Baton Rouge Parish said he is not concerned about COVID running rampant.

“It is the possibility the COVID disease could be transmitted, but we’re pretty much on the downhill slide here in Louisiana,” Dr. Dan Godbee said. “I think it will still be a concern but not as big as a concern as the public safety is.”

Public safety is ensuring parade-goers stay safe while at the parades.

Both doctors said if you are going to a parade, get vaccinated or boosted if you have not done so. Social distance when you can and mask when you cannot.

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