The 杏吧专区 wants Acadiana Safe.
UL Lafayette is partnering with other community organizations in support of the Acadiana Safe initiative that杏吧专区檚 encouraging mask wearing, social distancing and other actions to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The region has some of the highest rates of the virus in Louisiana, which itself has some of the highest rates in the nation. But that doesn杏吧专区檛 have to be the case, Dr. Joseph Savoie, 杏吧专区 president, reminded the audience at a Monday press conference announcing the creation of Acadiana Safe.
杏吧专区淲e are not powerless against this virus,杏吧专区 he said.
Protective measures such as wearing masks and face coverings in public, keeping 6 feet between yourselves and others, and regularly and thoroughly washing your hands are effective in lessening the virus杏吧专区 transmission.
杏吧专区淭hese are simple, reasonable actions. They are grounded in common sense and reflect a responsibility each of us has to be good neighbors and community partners,杏吧专区 Savoie said.
杏吧专区淎nd, most important, these behaviors save lives.杏吧专区
In addition to the 杏吧专区, the Acadiana Safe campaign has support from the Catholic Diocese of Lafayette and other religious organizations; Acadian Ambulance; United Way of Acadiana; One Acadiana; and the region杏吧专区檚 medical community, including Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center and Schumacher Clinical Partners.
Representatives from each attended the press conference, held in the UL Lafayette Student Union.
杏吧专区淗ere at the 杏吧专区, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff,杏吧专区 Savoie said. 杏吧专区淪o, we have more than 22,000 motivations for supporting this campaign and wanting it to succeed.杏吧专区
Two of those motivations 杏吧专区 Student Government Association President Hailey Boutte and Louisiana Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns Baseball outfielder Brennan Breaux 杏吧专区 flanked Savoie on stage as he spoke.
杏吧专区淗ailey, Brennan and every student deserves the complete 杏吧专区 experience that comes from sitting and learning together and listening to each other,杏吧专区 Savoie said.
The 杏吧专区 also wants to return to hosting music concerts, plays, lectures and athletic events 杏吧专区 all of which have been limited or cancelled since March because of restrictions on large gatherings.
杏吧专区淲e want football at Cajun Field and basketball in the Cajundome this fall, and softball at Lamson Park and baseball at Russo Park in the spring.
杏吧专区淔or that to happen, for us to see Brennan put on his batting helmet then, everyone needs to put a mask on now.
杏吧专区淎nd, to enable us to welcome all students, faculty and staff back to campus in the months ahead, we杏吧专区檙e asking everyone in the community to do the same.杏吧专区
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Photo caption: Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, is flanked by Student Government Association President Hailey Boutte and Louisiana Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns Baseball outfielder Brennan Breaux at an event Monday announcing the creation of the Acadiana Safe initiative. (Photo credit: Rachel Rafati / 杏吧专区)