The Advocate's Top Headlines

with Jennifer Wadsworth | Assistant metro editor

As we head into another weekend, let's take a look at some of the news you need to know. 

A 'very effective' COVID treatment

It's no miracle drug, but there's a simple treatment that could keep you out of the ICU if you catch COVID. Namely, monoclonal antibodies. 

"It's very effective at keeping people who aren't that sick from needing hospitalization if its given quickly, if it's given with the first few days of somebody having symptoms," Louisiana's top public health official, Dr. Joe Kanter, told our reporter Blake Paterson in this story. 

… and one not at all effective

Livestock dewormer, on the other hand, is definitely not going to help.

And yet, hospitals say they've been treating patients who've taken ivermectin thinking it'll temper the worst effects of coronavirus, while animal feed stores say they've seen a run on the medicine and poison control centers have been fielding inquiries about its effects. Louisiana's doctors have enough problems — COVID chief among them. As one physician told us, however: “If people are focusing on eating dewormer instead of getting the vaccine that could save their life, that’s a new problem.”

Elyse Carmosinio has the story.

Coca-Cola expands in Baton Rouge

The beverage giant plans to spent $42 million on expanding its Plank Road plant, which would create 15 good-paying jobs. Kristen Mosbrucker wrote about the development in this story.

Rush week test run

After identifying a COVID outbreak from Greek Row sewage samples, LSU ordered some 3,000 sorority and fraternity members to get tested stat. The university wasn't prepared for the rush week rush on Thursday, causing lines of cars to jam up traffic and overwhelm the main testing site on Gourrier Avenue. Friday was much better, as Caroline Savoie reports in this dispatch from the scene. 

As always, thanks for reading!