District Attorney Chris Nevils reports the following action was taken in Eighth Judicial District Court on December 8, 2020

 ANTOINE JAMAL ANDERSON:  Defendant entered guilty plea possession of a schedule I controlled dangerous substance.  Imposition sentence deferred, defendant placed on two years unsupervised probation.  Defendant ordered to pay fine and probation fee.

 ALEXIS A. BOLDEN:  Defendant entered guilty plea no drivers license on person. Defendant ordered to pay fine and probation fee.

TORI JOHNS CHERRY:  Defendant entered guilty plea remaining after being forbidden.  Defendant ordered to pay fine.

JEREMY PAUL COLLINS:  Defendant entered guilty plea simple assault.  Defendant sentenced to time served.

RAMAL MIGUEL JONES:  Defendant entered guilty plea possession of a schedule I controlled dangerous substance.  Imposition sentence deferred, defendant placed on two years unsupervised probation.  Defendant ordered to pay fine and probation fee.

PAIGE ELIZABETH NEATHERLAND:  Defendant entered guilty plea criminal mischief.  Defendant ordered to pay fine.

ALEXIA T. BREAUX:  Defendant entered guilty plea speeding.  Defendant ordered to pay fine and probation fee.

WESLEY D. COKER:  Defendant entered no contest plea no drivers license on person.  Defendant ordered to pay fine.

DEREK ALLEN COOLMAN:  Defendant entered guilty plea criminal mischief  Defendant ordered to pay fine.

DAKOHTA R. DESSELLE:  Defendant entered no contest plea driving left of center.  Defendant ordered to pay fine.

ANTHONY EARL McHENRY:  Defendant entered guilty plea operating a vehicle without a drivers license.  Defendant ordered to pay fine and probation fee.

LALCHERRIKAH SHYBRANAE MOBLEY:  Defendant entered guilty plea no drivers license on person.  Defendant ordered to pay fine and probation fee.

KNE’CHEL DYNAE WASHINGTON:  Defendant entered guilty plea no drivers license on person.  Defendant ordered to pay fine.

ANNETTE HARDWELL WILLIAMS:  Defendant entered guilty plea no drivers license on person.  Defendant ordered to pay fine and probation fee.

JUSTIN L. WISE:  Defendant entered no contest plea no drivers license on person.  Defendant ordered to pay fine.

District Attorney Chris Nevils reports the following action was taken in Eighth Judicial District Court on December 9, 2020

LORENZO JAMES BALLARD:  Defendant entered guilty plea possession of drug paraphernalia.  Imposition sentence suspended, defendant placed on two years unsupervised probation.  Defendant ordered to pay fine and probation fee.

DARREN RAY JOHNSON:  Defendant entered guilty plea simple battery.  Imposition sentence suspended, defendant placed on two years unsupervised probation.  Defendant ordered to pay fine and probation fee.

DAWN PRESTRIDGE McDANIEL:  Defendant entered guilty plea criminal trespass.  Defendant sentenced to time served.

DOROTHY DIANE MOREAU MERCER:  Defendant entered guilty plea driving while intoxicated first offense, simple obstruction of a highway of commerce, battery of a police officer, simple battery and possession of alcoholic beverages in motor vehicles.  Sentence of the court is as follows:  driving while intoxicated  –  imposition sentence deferred, defendant placed on twenty-four months supervised probation.  Defendant ordered to pay fine, court cost and probation fee.  Defendant ordered to satisfactorily complete court approved driver improvement and substance abuse program and complete sixteen hours community service.  The other charges defendant ordered to pay fine concurrent, no court cost, sentences concurrent.

JACOB L. PROCELL:  Defendant entered guilty plea resisting an officer by flight and entry on or remaining in places or on land after being forbidden.  Defendant sentenced to time served on both charges.

ANTHONY L. RAINWATER:  Defendant entered guilty plea possession of a schedule I controlled dangerous substance.  Imposition sentence suspended, defendant placed on two years unsupervised probation.  Defendant ordered to pay fine and probation fee.

LATHAN COLE WISE:  Defendant entered guilty plea driving while intoxicated first offense.  Imposition sentence deferred, defendant placed on twenty-four months supervised probation.  Defendant ordered to pay fine, court cost and probation fee.  Defendant ordered to satisfactorily complete court approved substance abuse and driver improvement program and complete sixteen hours community service. 

District Attorney Chris Nevils reports the following action was taken in Eighth Judicial District Court on December 14, 2020

BLANCA PATRICIA MARTINEZ LASYONE:  Defendant’s probation was previously revoked on the charge of simple burglary and defendant present for sentence.  Defendant sentenced to serve six years hard labor with State of Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, credit for time served entitled under the laws of this state.

The Winn Parish Police Jury met for a regular meeting Monday, December 21, 2020. Jurors Allen Michael McCartney and Author Robinson were not in attendance.

Guest speakers were Louisiana Loggers Association Executive Director Toni McAllister and DRC Operations Manager Steven Crawford. McAllister announced that RoyOMartin will be hosting a drive thru job fair in January. Crawford gave the jury an update on continued clean up efforts from the hurricanes.

A motion made by juror Deionne Carpenter to approve beer and liquor licenses for 2021 was passed after a tie-breaking vote by jury president Josh McAllister. Jurors Deionne Carpenter and Phillip Evans voted for the motion. Jurors Tammy Griffin and Kirk Miles voted against the motion. All other motions on the agenda were passed with unanimous votes.

America’s loggers will finally have an opportunity to receive much needed assistance to off-set losses experienced due to the COVID-19 shutdown. The Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020, the latest COVID-19 relief package, was passed by a bi-partisan vote in both the House and Senate. The bill includes language appropriating $200 million in funding for logging and log trucking businesses who saw a greater than 10 percent loss in revenues from January 1 through December 1, 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as compared to revenues for the same period in 2019.

TITLE 3 SUB-TITLE C SECTION 3201:

Provided, That of the amount provided under this heading, $200,000,000 shall be used to provide relief to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have, as a result of the COVID–19 pandemic, experienced a loss of not less than 10 percent in gross revenue during the period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on December 1, 2020, as compared to the gross revenue of the eligible entity during the same period in 2019.

Today, members of Congress recognized the important role the timber harvesting industry plays in the United States economy by including both logging and log hauling businesses in the COVID-19 relief package. Logging and log hauling businesses were deemed to be essential service providers, but have struggled with making fixed cost payments as a result of reduced markets for the unrefined forest products they produce.

Many logging companies experienced severe losses when lumber and paper mills across the country reduced or ceased production in response to drops in demand.  Nationwide production curtailments have led to lower prices for log delivery to mills. Virtually all raw material delivered to mills by loggers and truckers have experienced price drops greater than 5% in 2020 compared to 2019.  According to a third-party analysis by Forests2Market, a 6.7% (21.4 million tons) reduction in nation-wide wood consumption reduced wood prices and generated a $1.83 billion (-13.0%) loss in revenue.

Insurance, equipment, fuel, and other costs associated with the industry make up the vast majority of expenses as compared to payroll which some were able to take advantage of under the Payroll Protection Program issued earlier during the pandemic. “Those costs continue to be incurred by the businesses, regardless if they are able to work or not, and with the tight margins and quotas that the industry has seen over the past several months, many logging businesses were not able to keep up with their fixed costs, causing concern about the future of their businesses. The amount of relief coming from the federal government is not meant to make these businesses whole, but rather to serve as a stop gap while they adjust their business plans to be able to operate under this new economy,” stated Daniel Dructor, Executive Vice President for the American Loggers Council (ALC).

Logging companies are generally small, family-owned businesses that have high operating costs and are more susceptible to prolonged periods of economic decline. Many are in danger of permanent closure. “The logging industry is just like farming except for the rotation age of our crop,” stated Tim Christopherson, President of the ALC and co-owner of DABCO, Inc. a timber harvesting and hauling company located in Kamiah, Idaho. “To see Christmas trees and other agricultural commodities and specialty crops included in the first and second versions of Coronavirus Food Protection Program (CFAP) while not including those same trees that can be turned into paper and other consumables, simply did not make sense. We applaud members of Congress for recognizing and including the loggers and log haulers in this historic legislation.”

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) first secured logger relief funds in draft legislation released in December by a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress.  Her provision built upon the “Loggers Relief Act” that Sen. Collins and Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC) sponsored earlier this year.  Ultimately, Collins’ provision was retained in the final COVID relief package passed by Congress this week.

Dructor applauded members of Congress and logging associations for the roles they played in securing this funding, ”Special thanks to Senator Collins of Maine and Congressman Rouzer of North Carolina and to all of the State and Regional Logging Associations for making your voices heard up in Washington, DC. To my knowledge, this is the first time in history that loggers have sought relief from Congress and they have delivered. Loggers are a tough bunch and have a way of working things out, but the Coronavirus is something never before seen and the economic impacts have been felt by everyone.”

For several months, ALC worked with congressional offices and the White House National Economic Council to raise awareness about the impact of COVID to the logging sector.  While it will be up to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to determine how the funds will be distributed, legislation states that the intent of the bill is to provide the logging sector with a measure of equity alongside other agricultural producers impacted by COVID-19.

BATON ROUGE- As another fireworks sales season begins, the State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFM) wants to encourage all Louisiana residents to not only be safe when using fireworks, but knowledgeable when buying them and prepared if considering attending a public fireworks display during this pandemic.

Ordinarily, the SFM would encourage families to choose to enjoy public fireworks displays over creating their own. However, many public fireworks displays are either being canceled or altered due to the concerns over COVID-19. In the event a public display is still being offered in your area, and your family is considering attending, make sure every member of your household wears a face covering, aim to provide your own seating and ensure that seating is spaced six feet from the nearest individual or group of individuals.

If your family has, instead, chosen to purchase fireworks in order to stay safer at home, ideally with only the members of your household, know that there is no prohibition on the sale of retail fireworks at the state level as a result of COVID-19. However, state law does still require wholesale and retail fireworks business operators to be appropriately licensed by the SFM in the parishes and municipalities where they are legally allowed. The sales season extends through January 1.

A retail fireworks business falls under the Modified Phase 2 guidance for “Shopping Malls/Retail Stores,” which details requirements such as a maximum limit of 50% of the total capacity of the structure or tent while maintaining a social distance of six feet between employees and customers, the wearing of face coverings by employees and customers as well as explicit sanitation requirements. The full guidance can be accessed on OpenSafely.la.gov. For businesses that operate with counter sales only, where fireworks are displayed and sold from behind a counter, requirements include maintaining a distance of six feet between customers and the wearing of face masks by employees and customers, especially when interacting. Owners should also maintain access to hand sanitizer for employees and customers engaged in sales which require the handling of money, credit cards, etc.

Lastly, we want everyone to enjoy fireworks in the safest way possible. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), fireworks started an estimated 19,500 fires in 2018, including 1,900 structure

fires, 500 vehicle fires, and 17,100 outside and other fires. These fires caused five deaths, 46 civilian injuries, and $105 million in direct property damage.

To avoid becoming part of these statistics, the SFM advises:

• Detonating devices at least 200 feet away from structures, vehicles and rubbish
• Never allowing children to light fireworks
• Never operating fireworks while impaired
• Lighting devices one at a time and monitoring embers released with a bucket of water or hose nearby
• Discarding detonated items by wetting them down to prevent reignition and not disposing of them in a trash container immediately

Gov. John Bel Edwards extended his modified Phase Two order on Dec. 22, including Louisiana’s statewide mask mandate, to January 13, 2021, as hospitalizations have exceeded the level reached during the second surge in July.

The Governor also declared an emergency for the elections in February, March and April of next year, per a request from the Secretary of State.

“While we have seen minor improvements, no one should feel good about our current COVID situation in Louisiana. We have too many new cases, too many people in the hospital and, sadly, too many Louisianans continue to die of this illness. Just this week, we reported the highest number of deaths since July. Aggressive mitigation is recommended by Louisiana’s public health experts and the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and it is absolutely critical that all of our people take every action they can to slow the spread of COVID,” Gov. Edwards said. “All Louisianans are at risk, but those who are 65 or older or who have health conditions that make it more likely that they will have severe COVID complications should be incredibly careful in the coming days and weeks and should avoid any indoor place other than their home where there is not universal masking.

“I cannot stress this enough: the holidays this year simply cannot look the same as they have in previous years,” Gov. Edwards said. “Having holiday parties where people from various households gather together, especially indoors, is dangerous and could lead to the spread of COVID and the loss of family members and friends. This year has been tragic and sad and we finally have the hope of better therapeutics and a vaccine, which means the end of the pandemic is in our sights. Now is not the time to let down our guard simply because it is Christmas or New Year’s Eve.”

Gov. Edwards’ extended order will be in place through January 13, 2021.

Louisiana’s statewide mask mandate remains in place. Louisiana’s COVID-19 restrictions include the below:

• All Louisianans are encouraged to avoid gatherings of individuals not part of their households.
• All businesses, private and public sectors, are encouraged to use remote work where they can.
• All restaurants are limited to 50% of their indoor capacity. Restaurants should move as much dining outdoors as they can. Social distancing is required.
• For bars in parishes above 5% positivity, bars are closed to indoor sales and consumption but open for outdoor consumption at tables only and at 25% capacity, with a maximum of 50 people. Social distancing is required. Take-out and delivery will still be available.
• Retail businesses may open at 50% capacity, except for essential businesses, as defined by federal guidance from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
• Gyms may be open at 50% of their capacity.
  Places of worship will remain at a maximum of 75% of their capacity or the number of people who can physically distance with at least six feet between each immediate household, whichever is less.
• Barber and beauty shops, and nail salons may open at 50% of their capacity.
• Movie theaters may open at 50% of their capacity.
• Indoor gatherings at event/receptions centers are limited to 25% capacity or up to 75 individuals.
• Outdoor gatherings at event/reception centers are limited to 25% capacity or up to 150 individuals when strict physical distancing is not possible.
• All sporting events will be capped at 25% capacity.

WINN:
Faris Cooper Wyatt
February 27, 1931 – December 20, 2020
Service: Saturday, December 26 at 2 pm at the Southern Funeral Home Chapel

Cheryl Caskey Walters
September 20, 1949 – December 20, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 23 at 2 pm at Gloryway Church

Mary Fitzgerald
May 22, 1940 – December 19, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 23 at 10 am at Corinth Tabernacle Cemetery

Sherri Stroud Davison
February 29, 1948 – December 19, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 23 at 11 am in the St. Maurice cemetery

GRANT:
Harold Don Watkins
January 1, 1941 – December 19, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Pollock

NATCHITOCHES:
Louise Posey Booty
July 02, 1938 – December 19, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 23 at 11 am at the First Baptist Church of Coushatta

Barbara Nell Jordan
June 04, 1949 – December 20, 2020
Service: Tuesday, December 29 at 2 p.m. at Rocky Mount Church

Joseph Antee
December 22, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Bobby Gene Dalme
May 22, 1938 – December 19, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 30 at 10 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

Eva Lee Antilley Beasley
September 25, 1927 – December 20, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 23 at 2 pm at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home

Willie Brown
January 8, 1965 – December 21, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Reva Darlene Dalton
August 10, 1959 – December 18, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 30 from 5-7 pm in the chapel of Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

Clyde Shoemaker
February 04, 1934 – December 19, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 23 at 10 am at Hickory Grove Congregational Methodist Church in Robeline

Bobby Jean Parker
August 9, 1955 – December 21, 2020
Arrangements TBA

McTavish Raymond
June 22, 1972 – December 21, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Richard Williams
December 17, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Sophia Willoughby Washington
December 15, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Elijah Calhoun
February 11, 1960 – December 11, 2020
Arrangements TBA

RED RIVER:
Glenn Curtiss McElwee
September 26, 1927 – December 21, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 23 at 3 pm at Bethany Cemetery in Coushatta

Elsie Pauline Harrison
September 02, 1935 – December 21, 2020
Service: Sunday, December 27 at 1 pm at Thomas-Wren Cemetery

The Winn Parish Journal is changing the format of the Arrest Report. We will post arrest from Winnfield Police Department on Monday and arrest from Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday.

Winnfield Police Department
Name: John W. Dooley, Jr.
Date: 12-15-2020
Address: Homeless
Race: Black
Gender: Male
Age: 38
Charge: Criminal Trespass
Bond: Released on Summons

Name: Hollis M. McMillin, Jr.
Date: 12-16-2020
Address: Jonesville, LA
Race: White
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Charge: Driving Under Suspension, Security Required (no insurance), Expired Moto vehicle Inspection, Switched Tags
Bond: $5435

Name: Ronald T. Sullivan
Date: 12-20-2020
Address: Quitman, LA
Race: White
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Charge: Driving Under Suspension, Security Required (no insurance), Expired Moto vehicle Inspection, Switched Tags
Bond: Released on Summons

The Winn Parish Police Jury will hold the December regular meeting today at 5:00 PM at the WPPJ office inside the Winn Parish Courthouse.

Winn Parish School System will be offering virtual review sessions for the upcoming high school End of Course tests that students take in January.

The sessions include reviews for English I, Algebra I, Geometry, Biology, and U. S. History. Sessions will be free. Session dates are January 4, January 6, and January 11 from 4:30 to 6:00 via Google Classroom.

Students may attend one or all of the sessions. There is no fee for participating.

Parents or students may contact any high school or the school board office for more information.

The occurrence of Covid-19 and two hurricanes did not prevent individuals, groups, churches, schools, organizations, and businesses from packing shoeboxes.  These shoeboxes will go to over 150 third world countries to bring cheer and hope. Now more than ever people need to hear the gospel and be given the hope of Jesus Christ. 

The West Central La team, (Red River, Sabine, Winn and Natchitoches parishes) collected 13,120 shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child.

The four drop off center totals were as follows:

Red River Parish: 2,195 shoeboxes
(Martin Church-Susan Longino)

Sabine Parish: 2,286 shoeboxes
(Calvary in Many- Cherry Wells)

701 shoeboxes
(Mitchell in Converse-Glenna Ott)

Winn Parish: 1,967 shoeboxes
(First Baptist Winnfield-Jeanine Ford) 

Natchitoches Parish: 5,971 shoeboxes
First Baptist Natch -Brenda Ingram

Two and a half 18 wheelers were packed with 350 cartons with over 5,000 shoeboxes. Some countries the boxes have been delivered to in 2020 are: Mexico, Mali, Cameroon, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Burundi, Madagascar, Republic of Congo, and Ecuador.  Wherever they may be delivered the hope and love of Jesus will be shared.

Big thanks to all who participated in this ministry. For more information samaritan’spurse.org or call Area Coordinator Pansy Morgan 318-471-7160.

LifeShare Blood Center mobile bus will be at Winnfield Police Department, 405 S. Jones St in Winnfield today from 3:00 PM – 7 PM. To schedule an appointment to donate click schedule appointment. 

One in three people will need blood at some time in their life. When someone in the communities we serve needs blood, it is our responsibility to have it safe and readily available. The only way we can do that is through your donations.

With no substitute for human blood, volunteer blood donations saves lives right here in our community every day. If you can give blood, please do. If you can’t, please encourage and support others who can and help spread the word.Donating blood only takes a short amount of time a few times a year, or when you are eligible.

The blood donation process generally follows these steps:

• Before giving blood, make sure that you meet the requirements, get a good night’s sleep, eat regular meals and drink plenty of fluids. 
• After you present a photo ID and read the information sheet you will undergo a mini exam (temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and iron level) and then provide confidential answers to health history questions. 
• The donation takes place in a comfortable chair. Most donors feel a slight prick when the needle is inserted and nothing after that. 
• After the donation, you should sit down and have a snack and beverage. If you experience any light-headedness let your donor technician know and lie down until you feel better. Do not use tobacco products for the next 30 minutes. Leave the arm bandage on and do not engage in strenuous activity or lift heavy objects for the next two to four hours. For the next 24 – 48 hours be sure to increase fluid intake. 

By being a frequent blood donor you are fulfilling an important community responsibility.

The following are general guidelines for how often you may give.

• Whole blood donation every 56 days (8 weeks) 
• Apheresis procedures:
  • Double red cell every 112 days (16 weeks) 
  • Plasma every 28 days (4 weeks) 
  • Platelets every 14 days (2 weeks)

WINN:
Sherri Stroud Davison
February 29, 1948 – December 19, 2020
Service: Wednesday, December 23 at 11 am in the St. Maurice cemetery

Lonnie Earl Bramlett
January 29, 1941 – December 18, 2020
Service: Tuesday, December 22 at 2 pm at at the Garden of Memories

GRANT:
James Edward Delaney
August 5, 1940 – December 18, 2020
Visitation: Monday, December 21, 2020 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Rush Funeral Home, Pineville,  Visitation will resume on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, from 12:00 p.m. until time of service.
Service: Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at 2:30 p.m. in the Chapel of Rush Funeral Home, Pineville
Interment: Following service in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Ball

Margaret Jean Davis
August 2, 1943 – December 17, 2020
Visitation: Tuesday, December 22, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. until time of service at Rush Funeral Home, Pineville
Service: Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of Rush Funeral Home, Pineville
Interment: Following service in Hebron Cemetery, Dry Prong

NATCHITOCHES:
Richard Williams
December 17, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Joseph Harrison Lestage
February 22, 1951 – December 17, 2020
Service: Monday, December 21 at 1 pm at St. Maurice Cemetery in St. Maurice

Johnnie Lee Brewer
March 01, 1939 – December 12, 2020
Service: Monday, December 21 at 2 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

Sophia Willoughby Washington
December 15, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Elijah Calhoun
February 11, 1960 – December 11, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Margaret Ann Holmes
April 26, 1954 – December 10, 2020
Arrangements TBA

The first round of COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Winn Parish Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Fifty frontline workers at Winn Parish Medical Center were the first to receive the vaccine administered at Winn Parish Medical Center. 

Each person that received the shot on Wednesday will receive another shot in 21 days. After receiving the vaccination, each person was evaluated for 15 minutes in case of complications. 

Among the first to receive the vaccination was Dr. Julio Iglesias, Dr. Mark Shelton, Dr. Eric Dupree, Dr. James Lee, Dr. Ugochukwu Ike, and Dr. Ricky Hendrix. “I’ve told all my patients that I would take the vaccine first to make sure it’s safe for them. I wouldn’t suggest my patients do anything that I’m not willing to do myself,” said Dr. Dupree. 

According to WPMC CEO Kathy Hall, after frontline workers, the next round of vaccines will be administered to nursing home patients. The timeline of the next round is not clear at this time. 

8 Things to Know about the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program

1. The safety of COVID-19 vaccines is a top priority.

   The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible. Learn how federal partners are working together to ensure the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

   CDC has developed a new tool, v-safe, as an additional layer of safety monitoring to increase our ability to rapidly detect any safety issues with COVID-19 vaccines. V-safe is a new smartphone-based, after-vaccination health checker for people who receive COVID-19 vaccines.

2. COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. Two doses are needed.

   You need 2 doses of the currently available COVID-19 vaccine. A second shot 3 weeks after your first shot is needed to get the most protection the vaccine has to offer against this serious disease.

3. Right now, CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccine be offered to healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities.

   Because the current supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States is limited, CDC recommends that initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccine be offered to healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents.

4. There is currently a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States, but supply will increase in the weeks and months to come.

   The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as large enough quantities are available. Once vaccine is widely available, the plan is to have several thousand vaccination providers offering COVID-19 vaccines in doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals, and federally qualified health centers.

5. After COVID-19 vaccination, you may have some side effects. This is a normal sign that your body is building protection.

   The side effects from COVID-19 vaccination may feel like flu and might even affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. 

6. Cost is not an obstacle to getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

   Vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccination providers may be able to charge administration fees for giving the shot. Vaccination providers can get this fee reimbursed by the patient’s public or private insurance company or, for uninsured patients, by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fun.

7. The first COVID-19 vaccine is being used under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many other vaccines are still being developed and tested.

   If more COVID-19 vaccines are authorized or approved by FDA, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will quickly hold public meetings to review all available data about each vaccine and make recommendations for their use in the United States. 

   All ACIP-recommended vaccines will be included in the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program. CDC continues to work at all levels with partners, including healthcare associations, on a flexible COVID-19 vaccination program that can accommodate different vaccines and adapt to different scenarios. State, tribal, local, and territorial health departments have developed distribution plans to make sure all recommended vaccines are available to their communities.

8. COVID-19 vaccines are one of many important tools to help us stop this pandemic.

   It’s important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to help stop this pandemic as we learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions. Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid crowds, and wash your hands often.

   CDC will continue to update this website as vaccine recommendations and supply change.

Winn Parish School System will be offering virtual review sessions for the January End of Course tests. Sessions will be free and are scheduled for January 4, January 6, and January 11.  Students may attend one or all of the sessions from 4:30 to 6:00 on those dates.   Sessions will be offered through Google Classroom.  Contact any high school or the school board office for more information.