KSLA12 - Dr. John Vanchiere shares "We've seen the variants over the past two years emerge and each was more transmissible than the prior one. The early data appears that this omicron variant may even be more transmissible than delta." 

KTBS3 - Jeremy Kamil, PhD., a virologist at LSU Health Shreveport, says the Omicron variant was first found on Nov. 11. What the South African scientists discovered was that this new variant is a lot different than the ones that have been seen so far. "This one is very extensively mutated.”

Bloomberg - While the U.S. is sequencing a much higher percentage of Covid samples than earlier, the bigger issue may be that not enough virus testing is done in the first place, said Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport.

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News Star - Louisiana Tech University, Grambling State University, LSU Health Shreveport and several health clinics across the region are working together to sequence the COVID-19 virus to learn how it's spreading and if any new variants arise. Research from the three universities is made available for the public online at nla-health.com.

An official release of five PSAs created by five student filmmakers from the Northwest Louisiana area was held on November 22nd at LSUHS as part of a collaboration between the Film Prize Junior program and LSUHS, followed by Q&A sessions about this project.

Louisiana Radio Network - LSU-Health Shreveport is helping parents by making it as convenient as possible to have children ages five to eleven get vaccinated at schools in north Louisiana. 

KTBS3 - “It's not an emergency, it's not a ‘got to do this before the winter’ kind of thing,” said Dr. John Vanchiere, director of COVID-19 community testing and vaccinations at LSUHS. “We’d rather have more young adults get vaccinated, than use boosters in that age group at this point. That would be much more effective."

The LSU Health Shreveport COVID-19 Strike Teams reached a major milestone today having administered just over 100,000 VACCINATIONS. Over 175 individuals have been a part of the LSUHS vaccine teams comprised of physicians, nurses, nursing, medical and allied health students, and the Louisiana National Guard.

KTBS3 -  As mask mandates are lifted across the state, the medical community is waiting to see what effects may come from the decision. Dr. John Vanchiere, an infectious disease expert at LSU-Health Shreveport, said overall, he thinks that it was the right decision. 

KTAL/KMSS -  Shreveport doctors are urging the public to not underestimate COVID-19 as Governor Edwards has lifted the state’s mask mandate for at least the next four weeks. Dr. Andrew Yurochko with LSUHS says the virus spread has followed a pattern and therefore, one must continue to protect him or herself.