BATON ROUGE, La. (The Advertiser)- Longtime Louisiana Medical Director Jimmy Guidry, who has often been the face of the Office of Public Health through hurricanes, floods and COVID-19 and who forecast the third surge or coronavirus, is retiring Dec. 31 after more than 30 years with the agency.

Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Courtney Phillips announced Guidry’s retirement and other personnel changes within the agency Monday.

“(Guidry) has worked tirelessly for the people of Louisiana through many catastrophes, among them Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike, Laura and Delta, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the great floods of 2016 and the COVID-19 pandemic,” Phillips said.

“As we prepare to close this extraordinary year, I am grateful that Dr. Guidry can retire knowing that we hold the COVID-19 vaccine — the first step toward ending the pandemic — in our hands.”

Guidry, whose three decades of service included a stint as Acadiana’s regional medical director, testified during a Sept. 30 House Education Committee hearing that Louisiana would likely suffer a third COVID-19 surge during flu season.

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