Avoyelles COVID update for Tuesday: seven cases in 147 tests

There were only 147 tests reviewed for the Tuesday COVID update for Avoyelles Parish, and about two thirds of those were rapid result tests -- which is different from most daily reports.

There were seven new cases of COVID identified in the report, three in 53 lab tests and four in 94 rapid tests. That reflects a one-day overall positive rate of 4.8 percent. The positive rate of lab tests was higher than the rapid result test, which is also different from most reports. That one-day positive rate is 5.6 percent. The rapid tests had a 4.2 percent positive rate.

Due to the small size of the Tuesday sample of tests, the higher percentage of positive results is not proof positive that COVID is making a comeback. However, the state's risk map is showing more "high risk" parishes, mostly clustered in the northeast corner of the state.

While the report is not an alarm bell for danger, it is at least a subtle reminder that the virus is still present in the community. While we do not have 100 infections a day that might be reason to shut the parish down again, it only takes one infection to ruin Christmas for a family who loses someone to a virus that could've been avoided by taking a free, effective and easily available vaccine.