The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has launched a coronavirus vaccine hotline to help people schedule immunization appointments and answer any questions you may have about the COVID-19 vaccines.

We reported earlier that more than one-third of Louisiana's population don't want the COVID-19 vaccination. If you are hesitant to get the vaccine and need some questions answered, the helpline will connect you with medical professionals who can answer those questions for you.

Louisiana leads many other southern states with the number of residents vaccinated. However, we are well below the national average. The Department of Health hopes that giving timely information to those who need it will help bolster vaccination rates in the state.

Every Louisiana resident 16 and older is eligible for the coronavirus vaccine.

Another reason for the helpline formation is for residents who don't have access to the internet or just aren't tech inclined. Many Louisiana residents have reached out to the LDH and let them know they've been having trouble using the online scheduling system.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks Louisiana as 43rd in the number of vaccine doses administered per capita in the country. More than 1.3 million people in Louisiana have received at least their first dose of the vaccine, and more than 892,000 people have been fully vaccinated in Louisiana. However, scientists say that's not enough people to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Governor John Bel Edwards says the state will begin to move workers they hired to help fight the pandemic in Louisiana to start working on contact tracing. They will be tasked with tracking coronavirus cases and notifying everyone who was in contact with an infected person.

You can call the hotline from 8:00am to 8:00pm Monday through Saturday, and 8:00am to 12:00pm on Sunday at 1-855-453-0774.

LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.

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