Louisiana National Guard Assists at New COVID-19 Testing Sites

July 24, 2020 | BY AIR FORCE MASTER SGT. TOBY VALADIE

The Louisiana National Guard has more than 1,140 soldiers and airmen assisting with the COVID-19 response.

Four new testing sites have been set up in the Baton Rouge area in communities that have experienced an uptick in new cases and hospitalizations. The added locations include: Louisiana State University's Alex Box Stadium parking lot, Southern University, Cortana Mall and the Lamar Dixon Expo Center.

''The goal is to test a total of 5,000 people a day at four new test sites in Baton Rouge over the next 12 to 14 days,'' said Kelley Finwall, chief of staff of the Bureau of Infectious Diseases in the Office of Public Health for the Louisiana Department of Health. ''While helping with coordination of testing since mid-March, I can't express enough how helpful the guard has been. … It's been wonderful. We couldn’t have done all we have done at the department without the Louisiana National Guard’s support and partnership.''

''It feels great to get out to the site and actually help the community,'' said Army Spc. Kevin Byoune, a plumber with the 1022nd Engineer Vertical Construction Company, 225th Engineer Brigade. ''To get that positive feedback from the community showing us their appreciation for being here, it always gives us that extra motivation to do as much as we can.''

While having provided support to more than 30 testing sites since the beginning of the response, the guardsmen have aided in the testing of nearly 108,100 citizens.

''Although the operations are different from hurricanes or floods, we still have the same goal … we are here to assist the community and to show them that the National Guard will always be there to answer the call,'' said Army Sgt. Demontray Dorsey with the 1022nd. ''It's our duty to be here to assist in any capacity.''

In order to assist civil authorities, the Louisiana National Guard is ensuring the health and safety of its soldiers and airmen. The guard is actively taking steps to support health protection in order to maintain mission readiness, such as: limiting non mission-specific travel, educating and enforcing strict CDC-recommended hygiene measures, and  monitoring the guardsmen's temperature readings and overall health daily.

(Air Force Master Sgt. Toby Valadie is assigned to the Louisiana National Guard.)