This video is a sequel to the diary "Down Here." Neither that diary nor the video are heavy on news or statistics. You can get that in a lot of places.
What I'm trying to do with this, which will hopefully continue under increasing restrictions as the extent of the outbreak in New Orleans becomes clear in coming days, is to explore how people in town are coping with the end of the world this time. This episode is about the overnight implosion of the city’s famed restaurant scene.
The Louisiana Covid situation as of noon today: we've started getting enough tests to do more than confirm obvious cases (“Yep, it was coronavirus, all right, rest his soul”). With more testing, the state’s positive-to-tested rate is now just above an eighth, rather than nearly half as it stood a few days ago.
Unfortunately, as testing expands, so do the raw numbers of positives. We are, at present, number one in the world of positive cases per capita, I’m told.
The raw numbers this noon: Total tested: 8,608. Positives: 1,308. Deaths: 46. It’s currently estimated the state’s health care system will be unable to handle the case load by the first week of April.
The progressive local bans have been largely honored, but with clusters of knuckleheads. Lakefront and the Fly, a riverside park behind Audubon Zoo, were closed because people refused to properly distance themselves. Why we can’t have nice things, etc.
Governor Edwards declared a statewide stay-at-home order which went into effect before sundown yesterday (“Get out of Dodge...”). While excursions out are permitted, proper distancing must be observed at all times.
It’s a desperate attempt to damp the explosion that's underway. Last night and today, people are being much more compliant. I think the strained looks of newscasters, doctors and pols on TV are having a rapid, cumulative effect.
It’s coming, and we know it, and the dread is palpable. Like Katrina or Deepwater Horizon or whichever sequel in our municipal disaster movie franchise.
We also know we'll survive and adapt and take care of each other as best we can. It’s what we do.
I'll keep posting these reports as I can compile them. Apologies for the slapdash quality. We’ve been scrambling this week to get footage in anticipation of more restrictions being imposed, and there’s not any time for retakes and deep editing. More like putting together a daily paper than anything.
Stay tuned.
A direct link to the video on YouTube can be found here.