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NEW ORLEANS — Weekly COVID hospitalizations in Louisiana have more than doubled as the Omicron variant surges in the state, and public health experts, including those from W. Montague Cobb/National Medical Association (NMA) Health Institute, believe infections will continue to spread as residents participate in Carnival and Mardi Gras celebrations.

As a direct response, W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute today announced that it is hosting a drive-thru Stay Well New Orleans Community Health Fair and Vaccine Event on January 29, 2022. This drive-thru event will have a new sense of urgency due to the undeniable impact of Omicron.

The W. Montague Cobb/ NMA Health Institute functions as a national consortium of scholars who engage in innovative research and knowledge dissemination for the reduction and elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities and racism in medicine.

The Stay Well New Orleans Community Health Fair is free and open to the public.

The event will take place on Saturday, January 29, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at L.B. Landy High School, 1200 L.B. Landry Ave., New Orleans, LA 70114.  The event will offer:

• Free drive-thru vaccinations
• Health resources
• Access to panel discussion with local trusted Black healthcare professionals
• Giveaways

“This new surge has greatly impacted our community, but we have the power to help stop it. The Stay Well New Orleans event is important for each and every member of the community to attend,” explained Dr. Kimiyo Williams, local Cobb Institute pediatrician.

The New Orleans Cluster of The Links, Inc. will serve as local organizers.

“This vaccine clinic is a partnership between the Cobb Institute, state and local health organizations and the New Orleans community to increase vaccine access, stated Tracey Flemings-Davillier, event coordinator.”

For more information, please visit https://staywellcommunityhealthfairs.org, and stay updated via Facebook and Instagram. 

About Stay Well Community Health Fairs

The Stay Well Health Fair and Vaccine events are designed to bring health-related resources to Black communities across the country. The W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute has partnered with local health agencies and community-based organizations in select cities to continue to educate Black communities while working to make vaccine resources more accessible. These fairs feature local trusted Black healthcare professionals in panel discussions on the continued impact of COVID-19, the vaccines, and the emerging variants. For more information, please visit https://staywellcommunityhealthfairs.org/, or stay updated via Facebook and Instagram.