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Catch Beads, Not Germs! Blue Cross Throws Out Mardi Gras Health Tips

Feb. 18, 2019

BATON ROUGE – It’s Carnival time, and many people will be heading to the parades. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana offers some tips to help you have a safe and healthy Mardi Gras: 

  • Be aware of your surroundings in crowded areas, and keep children with you at all times.
  • If you are wearing a costume or mask, make sure you can move around comfortably and see clearly.
  • Protect your face and be aware of beads, doubloons and other objects being thrown from floats – especially at night parades, when these can be harder to see.
  • Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. And, watch your alcohol intake.
  • Wear sunscreen to protect your skin from exposure while watching parades outdoors.

    • To get to the parades in New Orleans without the hassles of fighting traffic and finding parking, you can use Blue Bikes, sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. Sign up at blubikesnola.com or with the Social Bicycles app to ride for only 10 cents a minute. 

    If you get sick at Mardi Gras or while traveling out of town during the holiday and can’t get to your doctor’s office, remember that Blue Cross customers can have online visits 24/7, 365 with BlueCare. This telehealth services lets you see U.S.-trained, board-certified doctors with a computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone or any device with internet and a camera.

    BlueCare costs less than ER or urgent care and is effective to treat mild illnesses like colds, flu symptoms, pink eye or stomach bugs. You will pay up front at the time of your BlueCare visit – depending on your plan type and benefits, you may get a refund later.

    Go to www.BlueCareLA.com or get the BlueCare app for Android and Apple devices and create your account to click when you’re sick.

    About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
    Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. We invest both time and money in the communities we serve, supporting the health and wellbeing of Louisianians through more than 200 charitable organizations.

    With our subsidiaries, HMO Louisiana and Southern National Life, we provide group and individual health insurance plans, life and disability insurance, group voluntary products and administrative services to one out of four Louisiana residents. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana also provides Medicare supplement and Medicare Advantage plans and is a partner in offering the Healthy Blue Medicaid Managed care plan. Louisiana is the only state where we operate, with offices in every major region to serve our customers.

    Founded in New Orleans in 1934, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is a tax-paying non-profit health insurer. We are a private mutual company, owned by our policyholders, with an independent Louisiana Board of Directors and no shareholders. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

    To learn more, visit our website at www.bcbsla.com. 

    About Blue Bikes
    Blue Bikes is a fast, convenient and affordable transportation system for residents and visitors to move around New Orleans. The bike share program is a partnership among the City of New Orleans, Social Bicycles and title sponsor Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. Sign up to ride at bluebikesnola.com.