Coushatta Tribe, National Guard working to offer free COVID testing to essential employees

Published 6:00 pm Friday, June 19, 2020

ELTON – The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana and the Louisiana Army National Guard are working together to offer free COVID-testing to essential employees as businesses and services continue to reopen.

The Coushatta Tribe Department of Health, Tribal Fire Department and the Coushatta Family Center, with the support of the Louisiana Army National Guard, administered over 200 COVID-19 test to the employees of essential Tribal Departments which have been open or are in the process of reopening, according to Tribal Chairman David Sickey. The remainder of the Coushatta Tribe’s 233 employees will be tested next week.

“As we transition into this partial reopening period, it’s imperative we continue to do all we can to best protect the employees of the Tribe as well as the entire community which those employees service,” Sickey said. “We are learning there is little room for risk or speculation with COVID-19, especially within vulnerable Native American Tribes where the mortality rates are far higher than in any other groups. We’re grateful to the Louisiana Army National Guard for helping us address this critical need.”

Sickey added that the health and safety of all Coushatta guests, associates and Tribal members remains a top priority within the Coushtta Tribe. With the continued concern for the spread of the virus, social distancing and other recommended protocols will be strictly enforced within all operations and other organizations, he said.

“The partnership between the National Guard, the Office of Public Health, as well as local and Tribal governments has increased the ability of residents to get tested for COVID-19,” said Dr. Lacey Cavanaugh, the Office of Public Health regional medical director for Southwest Louisiana. “Over the past several weeks, we have been working to make it as easy and convenient as possible for local residents to get a test.”

The Coushatta Tribe will continue to provide updates as needed and notify the public with any further developments. Information related to COVID-19 spread and containment will be monitored as it becomes available through federal, state and local entities and other organizations.Vehicles line up for free mobile COVID-19 testing being offered for employees of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana. The Coushatta Tribe Department of Health, Tribal Fire Department and the Coushatta Family Center, with the support of the Louisiana Army National Guard, has administered over 200 COVID-19 test to the employees of essential Tribal Departments which have been open or are in the process of reopening. An additional 233 employees will be tested next week.

Special to the American Press