By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Gov. John Bel Edwards has recommended Louisianans once again wear masks indoors in the fight against a fourth surge of COVID-19. Edwards, during a news conference Friday, July 23, said hospitalizations and new cases of coronavirus are on the rise, and that the state now has the highest growth rate of cases per capita in the nation. The Louisiana Department of Health reported on July 22, 3,127 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the overall statewide total to 512,843 cases. The department said 1,008 COVID patients were in the hospital, including 82 on ventilators. The Louisiana Department of Health is suggesting – not mandating – that people wear their masks indoors when at least six feet of distancing is not physically possible and to stay out of crowds. Department officials also ask that everyone who had been exposed to COVID through colleagues, family members and others get tested, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not. Under the proclamation, those entering buildings operating under Edwards’ executive branch must wear masks indoors, effective Monday, July 26. “Right now, Louisiana has the best tool it has ever had to fight this surge: the COVID-19 … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Frank Courmier, a pulmonologist at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, appealed to Louisiana Baptist state missions staff, July 20, urging them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and to advocate for vaccinations among Louisiana Baptists. Courmier, who conducted virus bioengineering research at M.D. Anderson in Houston, Texas, is chair of a regional coronavirus task force that encompasses the parishes surrounding Lafayette, and he is a member of the state task force on COVID-19. He addressed key issues, and answered questions and concerns raised by individuals gathered at the Louisiana Baptist Building and from online participants, citing an urgency in getting out his message because of a fourth surge his hospital is facing. A 10-day increase from nine to 40 COVID, mostly unvaccinated patients, has caused the hospital to “scramble one more time to accommodate the influx of patients,” he said. “I am tired of the death and destruction that this is causing, and I have to do something,” Courmier shared. “And so, rather than sitting and going through another fourth surge I have asked permission and have been granted to go across the state trying to convince … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message executive editor BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – A critical bill that would have prevented biological males (as transgender women) from taking women’s sports team spots away from biological females was defeated, July 21, during a veto override session in the Louisiana House, when 10 representatives either defected or did not vote after having previously supported the legislation in the regular session. Sen. Beth Mizell (R), Senate president pro tempore and a member of First Baptist Church, Franklinton, authored S.B. 156 “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” as an attempt to level the playing field for women athletes. The bill was a response against the H.R. 5 “Equality Act” submitted in the U.S. Congress that would allow biological males to compete as females. It was passed at the federal level by the House and is awaiting a vote in the Senate. However, an executive mandate promoting transgender rights by President Joe Biden (D) calls for a review of federal policies that likely will produce the same result as passage of H.R. 5. REGULAR SESSION In the spring, the Louisiana Senate passed Mizell’s measure to guard against males on female teams, 29-6-4, and the House, too, 78-19-8. However, Gov. John Bel Edwards … [Read more...]