NEW ORLEANS – The Terrebonne Sheriffs Office went the extra mile this morning to give their officers a little peace of mind.
More than 200 deputies in Terrebonne parish were screened for strands of COVID-19 at the Civic Center in Houma. Health leaders didn’t use a swab test, but a blood one.
“It’s a screening tool” Nurse Practitioner, Brnadon Rhodes told us this morning at the screening site. “It’s basically to give you a negative. It’ll give you IGM, IGG and what that does is tell you your antibiotic status.”
With a prick of a finger, it reveals whether or not a deputy previously had the coronavirus and if they could be a carrier now which is vital.
“When you look at what’s going on out there, you have asymptomatic but yet, they can be contagious!” Sheriff Elect of Terrebonne, Tim Soignet shared with WGNO. “I would hate that to be a police officer when we’re out there in the public!”
Thanks to a variety of insurance providers, the Terrebonne Sheriffs Office was able to make this test free for their staff.
“Otherwise, if the department didn’t provide it, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity. I couldn’t even say when it would have been, the next opportunity to get tested” Terrebonne Parish Sheriffs Office Lieutenant, Michael Morrison said.
His results came back negative which was a relief. “Now, I get to go home and explain to my family that I don’t have any issues here, I don’t have to quarantine myself in my house anymore or any of those types of things.”
“To me, it’s important to give them the peace of mind” said Soignet.
Along with the Terrebonne parish community. “Oh! Without a doubt! I mean, cause the guys are out in the public so they’re out everywhere.”
The tests were engineered between a Houma insurance brokerage, local insurers and a medical lab. The tests are expected to cost $10,000 to screen the Terrebonne deputies.