LIVINGSTON PARISH - Just as the state settles back in to pre-pandemic life, COVID strikes back with a rapid rise in cases.

The delta variant is quickly spreading into communities and affecting families and businesses alike. The outbreak forced Livingston Parish to shut down its government offices Thursday.

"We hope this deters it from spreading any further throughout our offices out here. It's been crazy how fast this thing has spread," Parish President Layton Ricks said.

Ricks said a growing number of parish employees and their family members are testing positive. About 10 employees are currently out sick, which has led to an employee shortage in a number of major departments.

"What I don't want is to endanger the public by coming in and out of here, and I don't want to endanger my employees if I can do something about it."

Though offices are temporarily closed, Ricks says their phones and email will be monitored by the employees still working.

"We will be maintaining emergency services. We're still doing our inspections, and things that we can do remotely we will be doing."

As the virus rages through the community, Ricks says parish leaders will decide next week whether to reinstate COVID safety measures inside their parish offices.

"I hope we can get this under control and not have to go through another shut down."

Ricks says parish offices will stay closed until Aug. 2.

The Office of Motor Vehicles also closed Thursday in Livingston Parish, and will reopen on Aug. 2. You can go to www.expresslane.org to reschedule an appointment or to find a list of open offices.