Louisiana isn't 'lifting all restrictions' in move to Phase 3 but here's
- 4 years ago
NewNews
Calling it his toughest decision during the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday the state will move to Phase 3 for the reopening of its economy amid an improving picture in the fight against the deadly virus.''We have done better of late,'' Edwards told reporters. ''That is what the data represents. That is why we are making the decision we made.''The data is positive enough that we will be going in to Phase 3 tomorrow,'' he said. The announcement is expected to mean looser restrictions for restaurants, retail stores, schools, churches, gyms and possibly bars, and a morale boost for residents after six months of turmoil. However, the governor said he will spell out exactly what Phase 3 will look like on Friday, and he repeatedly urged Louisiana residents not to assume that a new phase means the pandemic is over. New Orleans is remaining in its own version of Phase 2, which already included some tougher rules than the state mandates. The statewide mask order will remain in place, as will the mask requirement for residents of East Baton Rouge Parish.''As of today, the rate of COVID-19 in our community has plateaued, but it has not gone down to a safe level,'' Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said in a statement. ''We are keeping a close eye on the number of new cases, hospital capacity and positivity rate among those getting tested.''The public face of Louisiana's pandemic response announced to his staff Wednesday that he would leave his job at the end of the month to spend…How long the state will be in the new phase is unclear, and what data was used to justify it is also expected to be detailed. The current Phase 2 rules expire on Friday. What impact Hurricane Laura will have on the spread of the virus in already hard-hit southwest Louisiana was one concern about implementing looser rules. Whether the state will see a surge of positive cases after Labor Day, which happened after Memorial Day, also hovered over the decision. Edwards said his fear is that ''people will hear what they want to hear as opposed to what they are being told. We have to be extremely careful with this.'
All data is taken from the source: http://theadvocate.com
Article Link: https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/coronavirus/article_eeee0f18-f1d6-11ea-a467-e73ab83850df.html
Calling it his toughest decision during the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday the state will move to Phase 3 for the reopening of its economy amid an improving picture in the fight against the deadly virus.''We have done better of late,'' Edwards told reporters. ''That is what the data represents. That is why we are making the decision we made.''The data is positive enough that we will be going in to Phase 3 tomorrow,'' he said. The announcement is expected to mean looser restrictions for restaurants, retail stores, schools, churches, gyms and possibly bars, and a morale boost for residents after six months of turmoil. However, the governor said he will spell out exactly what Phase 3 will look like on Friday, and he repeatedly urged Louisiana residents not to assume that a new phase means the pandemic is over. New Orleans is remaining in its own version of Phase 2, which already included some tougher rules than the state mandates. The statewide mask order will remain in place, as will the mask requirement for residents of East Baton Rouge Parish.''As of today, the rate of COVID-19 in our community has plateaued, but it has not gone down to a safe level,'' Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said in a statement. ''We are keeping a close eye on the number of new cases, hospital capacity and positivity rate among those getting tested.''The public face of Louisiana's pandemic response announced to his staff Wednesday that he would leave his job at the end of the month to spend…How long the state will be in the new phase is unclear, and what data was used to justify it is also expected to be detailed. The current Phase 2 rules expire on Friday. What impact Hurricane Laura will have on the spread of the virus in already hard-hit southwest Louisiana was one concern about implementing looser rules. Whether the state will see a surge of positive cases after Labor Day, which happened after Memorial Day, also hovered over the decision. Edwards said his fear is that ''people will hear what they want to hear as opposed to what they are being told. We have to be extremely careful with this.'
All data is taken from the source: http://theadvocate.com
Article Link: https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/coronavirus/article_eeee0f18-f1d6-11ea-a467-e73ab83850df.html