Tag Archives: governor edwards

Return to Phase 2 for December Says Governor After Cases Rise

Last week Gov. Edwards announced that the aggressive third surge of COVID-19 across
all regions of Louisiana has made it necessary to impose tighter mitigation measures and step back to Phase 2 in order to protect public health. The Governor intends to keep these restrictions in place at least through the end of the year.

A November 12 ruling by Judge William Morvant in the 19th Judicial District Court, found that a petition filed by some Republican members of the Louisiana House of Representatives to overturn the Governor’s COVID mitigation strategies, was moot and that the law used to submit it was unconstitutional.

The Governor’s updated Phase 2 proclamation calls for reducing occupancy at some businesses, decreasing gathering sizes, limiting indoor consumption at many bars and urges everyone in Louisiana to avoid gatherings with people outside of their everyday
households.

Louisiana’s statewide mask mandate, which has been in place since mid-July, will continue. In addition, Gov. Edwards encourages any business that can allow its employees to work remotely to do so. He has directed all state agencies to do the same.

“There is not a single region of our state that is not seeing increases in new cases, hospitalizations and growing positivity of COVID tests, and I am incredibly concerned by
Louisiana’s trajectory and our ability to continue to deliver health care to our people if our hospitals are overrun with sick patients,” Gov. Edwards said.

“The data clearly tells us that we have lost all of the gains we had made and that our current mitigation efforts must be increased in order to adequately slow the spread.

On November 20, the Gov. sent a letter to newspapers statewide and released a video
urging all Louisianans to take COVID-19 seriously this holiday season as Louisiana
enters its third surge with increasing cases of coronavirus and hospitalizations.

“Healthcare workers in hospitals across Louisiana are extremely worried about their
staffing and capacity levels not being able to keep up with the growing number of citizens being diagnosed with COVID-19 and being hospitalized. They need us all to do our part to slow the spread,” said Gov. Edwards. “This third surge we are experiencing is worse than the others, and it is so concerning that the Centers for Disease Control has asked that all holiday travel plans be canceled. This year’s holiday celebrations should not look like those from last year. The risk is too great. I know that we want to be together for the holidays, but we need to protect each other and make the sacrifices now so that we can come together when it is much safer.”

Major changes to Louisiana’s COVID-19 restrictions include:

All Louisianans are encouraged to avoid gatherings of individuals not part of their households.
All businesses, private and public sectors, are encouraged to use remote work where
they can.
All restaurants are limited to 50% of their indoor capacity. Restaurants should move as
much dining outdoors as they can. Social distancing is required.
Places of worship will remain at a maximum of 75% of their capacity or the number of
people who can physically distance with at least six feet between each immediate
household.
Barber and beauty shops, and nail salons may open at 50% of their capacity.
Movie theaters may open at 50% of their capacity.
Indoor gatherings at event/receptions centers are limited to 25% capacity or up to 75
individuals.
Outdoor gatherings at event/reception centers are limited to 25% capacity or up to 150
individuals when strict physical distancing is not possible.
All sporting events will be capped at 25% capacity.

For complete guidance on the new Phase 2, visit the Open Safely portal
at opensafely.la.gov.