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This article was written by Parish President Richard “Ned” Thomas.

As of Wednesday, July 8, the Louisiana Department of Health is reporting COVID-19 cases for Washington Parish:

• 765 cases reported.
• 48 deaths reported.
• 730 state tests complete.
• 8,139 commercial tests complete.

Considering the rise in positive cases and hospitalizations and to prevent the state regressing to pre-phase 1 restrictions, I ask that the citizens of our parish continue to do their due diligence to protect themselves by practicing the following:

• Wash your hands frequently.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
• Wear some type of facial covering in public.
• Practice social distancing, which means keeping six feet of distance between yourself and others.
• Avoid congregate settings whenever possible.
• Regularly clean frequent touched surfaces (doorknobs, handles, light switches, faucets, sinks, etc.) with EPA registered disinfectant.

Businesses and restaurants must continue to require employees in contact with the public to wear masks or face coverings. Patrons entering these establishments should be wearing a mask or face covering.

You can call 211 if you have questions about coronavirus or you can visit ldh.la.gov or cdc.gov.

In closing, I would like to remind everyone that we must all continue to do our part to stop the spread of this virus. We are a community that comes together in times of need.