LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)- With COVID-19 numbers rising and holidays approaching, Acadiana’s leading health officials are talking about how the community can help avoid a third pandemic surge.

“Currently Acadiana is facing its 3rd wave to the COVID pandemic,” Our Lady of Lourdes Chief Medical Officer, Henry Kaufman, says.

Ochsner Lafayette General Chief Medical Officer Amanda Logue said the region is seeing a spike in positivity rates.

Medical directors with Our Lady of Lourdes and Ochsner Lafayette General say Acadiana is trending in the wrong direction when it comes to combating the global pandemic.

“We are seeing significant rises in COVID positive individuals in the community,” Kaufman explains.

“Positivity rates of 10% in some areas of the parish that means one out of ten people could be carrying it and not even know it,” Logue adds.

Hoping to not repeat the spring surge of cases, both doctors say their hospitals are ready and able to control a possible hospitalization surge.

“We have supplies, PPE and other things. We have what we need to take care of patients,” Kaufman continues.

But Acadiana can turn the trajectory around.
“We don’t have to see the same patterns when the first outbreak hit,” Logue explains. “People were scared to go to hospitals. We don’t want people suffering alone.”