As coronavirus pandemic rages on, healthcare systems around the nation are at their breaking point. David Wesley Dowdy, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said “The driving factor in the current wave is human behavior — how people interact and how people respond to risk — and that is really very unpredictable." Ironically, a year ago we had no way of protecting ourselves, but now the coronavirus is preventable through highly effective vaccines. Sadly people continue to die mainly in part, to disinformation.

New COVID cases are up 300%, soaring with 100,000 hospitalizations and 1,500 deaths per day in America. The fourth wave of the pandemic, with the Delta variant leading the way, has proven to be the most deadly surge yet. Louisiana COVID cases are extremely high due to low public vaccination rates. This is causing a strain on our hospitals as healthcare workers are already spread thin, because of a statewide shortage of medical personnel.

Good childcare is expensive, and not everyone in the professional medical field can afford it. The Louisiana Department of Education is hoping a new program will ease childcare concerns for healthcare personnel and support staff. By allowing these essential workers like nurses, therapists, nutritionists, and janitorial workers to return to the workforce, the strain on hospitals in the state will be lifted. Learn more about the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) or apply today.

RANKED: Here are the most popular national parks

To determine the most popular national parks in the United States, Stacker compiled data from the National Park Service on the number of recreational visits each site had in 2020. Keep reading to discover the 50 most popular national parks in the United States, in reverse order from #50 to #1. And be sure to check with individuals parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

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