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RESERVE – Elizabeth Rousseve, a family nurse practitioner with Teche Action Clinic, got visibly choked up Wednesday evening during an educational Facebook Live with St. John the Baptist Parish President Jaclyn Hotard.

Rousseve gave a presentation on how to properly wear and sanitize face masks to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

For Rousseve, the impact of the coronavirus outbreak is personal and hard-hitting. Tears welled in her eyes as she recounted the recent loss of a dear friend who succumbed to the disease after two weeks on the ventilator, and she urged the public to take this safety threat seriously.

“Everybody has a story of someone they lost,” Rousseve said. “This is very important. This is serious. The longer we don’t do the right thing, the longer we’re going to be locked up in our house, the longer we’re going to have to stay in isolation, the longer we’ll (take to) get to normal. This cannot be our new normal.”

There are ways for residents to take control of their own health. According to Rousseve, a paper bag is a simple tool that can turn a face mask into a reusable piece of protective equipment.

It’s important to wash hands before and after handling a face mask, she said.

“Just wearing a mask is not enough. The most important thing is to keep your hands clean, and good old fashioned soap and water is still the best way,” Rousseve said. “It’s good to use gel, but every chance you get, use soap and water to make sure your hands are as clean as possible.”

When handling a facemask, always grab it by the elastic (or cloth) straps and ensure it has a tight seal without any gaps around the nose. A face mask should completely cover the nose, mouth and chin.

“Consider your mask as a biological agent,” Rousseve said. “When you go out and there’s all this bacteria on your mask, you don’t want to bring it into the house and contaminate surfaces like your countertops… What I would suggest is to use a paper bag and seal it so it can dry out any condensation from respirations.”

For best results, a mask should be left to dry out several days before reuse. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not have specific guidelines on disinfecting a mask, Rousseve said the paper bag method was widely used in her decades-long career as a critical care nurse.

This method applies to surgical masks that cannot be washed with water. Cloth masks, such as the masks donated by Hanes and distributed in the River Parishes this week, can go through the washer and dryer. Rousseve recommends washing cloth masks daily, or after every use.

“If you’re not taking care of your mask, it could become an agent to make you sick,” she said.

Pillowcases, T-shirts and even bandanas can be used to make homemade masks. If the material is thin, the CDC recommends placing a coffee filter or a paper towel on the inside for another layer of protection.

Gloves can be risky when not used correctly. Rousseve reminded the public that gloves are for one-time use, and the user must take all precautions to not cross-contaminate commonly touched surfaces. For instance, a person who pumps gas with gloves could then go on to contaminate their steering wheel and cell phone with the same pair of gloves.

Instead of using gloves, Rousseve suggests keeping hand gel and Lysol wipes on hand in your vehicle, while also taking care to wipe down cell phones at least once a day.

Mental and physical health cannot be neglected, Rousseve said. Thankfully, Teche Action Clinic is continuing to provide women’s health, pediatrics, primary care, immunizations and medication management services.

Telehealth services are currently being offered for appointments that can be conducted from home.

Teche Action Clinic was the first federally qualified health center in Louisiana, according to spokesperson Aaron Williams. He said Teche Action Center began in 1974 to provide quality health care access to the migrant farmers of South Louisiana. For the past 45 years, these health centers have provided hope to underserved populations.

From humble beginnings, the organization has grown to include 16 clinics across five parishes. St. John the Baptist Parish has school-based clinics for students at LaPlace Elementary, East St. John High School and West St. John Elementary.

The community can access the clinics at 471 Central Avenue in Reserve and at 159 E. Third Street in Edgard, directly behind the Courthouse.

“Qualified health Centers like Teche Action Clinic help with educating people and treating and preventing illness in underserved communities. Additionally, we also are a source of consistent primary care that is often associated with lower rates of preventable hospitalization,” Williams said.

This includes ongoing care for conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, which are risk factors for COVID-19. Referrals are also given for specialized care.

Parish President Jaclyn Hotard said the coronavirus has exposed fractures in the healthcare system.

“Having neighborhood clinics and more access to healthcare in communities that are most affected by coronavirus is really what’s important,” Hotard said. “It’s a goal of mine to make sure we do have equity in healthcare, not only in our community but across the state.”