Louisiana has vaccinated more residents than have tested positive for COVID-19 during the entire pandemic, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced at a press conference Tuesday.
The real number of cases in the state is potentially much higher, however, because not everyone who contracts COVID-19 gets tested or shows symptoms. Still, the fact that Louisiana has vaccinated such a large number – more than 438,000 residents – is hopeful.
Another good statistic: Louisiana has administered more than 95% of the first vaccine doses that it has received, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. This statistic puts Louisiana behind only 13 other states in the proportion of delivered first vaccines, a positive sign for residents.
In Baton Rouge, Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center is moving its main campus vaccination site to the Pennington Biomedical Research Center on Perkins Road. This community vaccination site expects to give 1,500 doses per week, assuming a stable supply at current levels. As supply increases, the site hopes to be able to give as many as 7,000 vaccinations per week.
These are positive numbers, but it’s not all good news.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser, estimates that 70-90% of the population will need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. As of Feb. 9, 9.4% of Louisiana residents have received one dose and only 3.9% have received two doses.
Louisiana also doesn’t have accurate race data on its vaccine recipients due to flaws in data collection, according to a report from The Advocate. This is important because COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted minority communities, and accurate data on race would allow the state to provide more equitable access to vaccines.
On Tuesday, Edwards expanded vaccine eligibility to include people ages 65 and up, as well as some first responders and election workers ahead of the special primary elections on March 20.

I and many other college students won’t be eligible to get vaccinated for a while (see where you stack up here.) But the sooner that the people most affected by the coronavirus – seniors, folks with preexisting medical conditions, frontline workers – receive the help they need, the sooner we can get back to in-person classes, concerts, Mardi Gras, bars, indoor dining and Saturday nights in Tiger Stadium at full capacity.
The picture of COVID-19 in this state and around the country remains very serious. Louisiana has lost 9,212 people to COVID-19 as of Feb. 10, each one an immeasurable loss. Americans have spent a year battling a pandemic, and the resulting economic collapse which has taken a toll on our mental health.
May these vaccine developments provide some hope while reminding us that there is still more hill to climb.
Sal Beeby is a 21-year-old political science junior from Oakland, CA.