Novel Coronavirus 2019

The Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a new form of the coronavirus family that originated in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December and has spread throughout the world. To minimize the risk of spread, Louisiana officials are advising the public to practice social distancing by not gathering with large groups of people. We are monitoring the situation and will continue to update this page and take appropriate measures to ensure the health and well-being of all students, faculty, and staff. Included below is a list of key resources to keep you informed about the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System and its 12 member colleges' highest priority is to protect the health and well-being of all members of our campus communities. We recognize our students' and employees' commitment in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic. We appreciate their efforts to overcome these challenges.

Based on the science and data collected over the past nine months, including various holidays, we anticipate a rise in cases among college age individuals (19-30 years-old). As such, there may be adjustments to the Spring 2021 semester.

Colleges will start the Spring 2021 semester exclusively with online and virtual instruction based on the college's current academic calendar.
In-person class meetings will not begin until Monday, February 1, 2021, at the earliest. Students should contact their college or instructor for exact scheduling. These classes include some technical hands-on courses and essential personnel training programs and will follow all Center for Disease Control and Louisiana Department of Health protocols.

We strongly encourage all students, faculty, and staff to be tested for COVID-19 before returning to campus. LCTCS students, faculty, and staff can be tested at no out-of-pocket cost at an Ochsner testing center. Be sure to bring your drivers license and student/employee ID to the testing site. Testing sites change weekly, so please use the link below to find a site nearest you.

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System encourages social distancing as the most effective method of limiting the spread of COVID-19. The LCTCS office has transitioned to remote work protocol for the forseeable future. LCTCS colleges are adjusting their academic calendars as necessary to transition to the use of online instructional methods where applicable. For students who do not have access to broadband technology, each college will ensure that students can access dedicated computer labs for online learning and assessment with proper precautions taken for the health and wellness of students, faculty, and staff per CDC recommendations.

For each college's transition schedule or updated academic calendar, visit the college's respective website using the links below.

RESOURCES

Louisiana Department of Health

To prevent the spread of infection, the Louisiana Department of Health is heavily engaged in priority public health actions. These actions include, but are not limited to:

working with healthcare facilities with presumptive patients to identify exposed healthcare workers and make appropriate recommendations;
ensuring all recommended infection control precautions are implemented in the healthcare facilities until we determine that the patient is no longer infectious,
notifying and monitoring close contacts;
coordinating with CDC

We encourage you to stay up to date on all details regarding LDH's efforts and take advantage of the many resources they have available at ldh.la.gov.

Louisiana Parish Health Units

Colleges are encouraged to visit the websites of their local health departments and coordinate with them for guidance related to cases in their area.

Find the Parish Health Unit nearest you.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the leading public health agency for the United States and has all the current information related to COVID-19. You will find facts about symptoms of the virus and what to do if you become sick, tips on how to prevent the spread of the virus, and answers to frequently asked questions at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov.

The U.S. Department of State

The U.S. Department of State provides an updated list of travel advisories.

Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE

This web-based interactive dashboard tracks the spread of COVID-19 in real time. It is hosted by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.