LOUISIANA REOPENING -- Gov. John Bel Edwards made the Phase 1 reopening of Louisiana official yesterday, allowing some businesses to operate for the first time in almost two months since he issued his emergency “Stay-at-Home” orders to reduce community spread of the Coronavirus. Beginning today these reopenings do come with certain restrictions on occupancy rates, sanitation procedures and mask requirements. Appearing at a Live Town Hall yesterday presented by The Advocate News in Baton Rouge, Edwards addressed the Phase 1 opening restrictions as not ideal but necessary.
"This is certainly not the way I want the state to function but at the same time we have to try manage
and strike the right balance between the competing priorities of public health on the one hand, the economy on the other," Edwards explained. "We do hope as we can move forward and get through Phase 1 and into Phase that more of the economy can be opened up in a safe way."
Edwards’ proclamation also extends his suspension on evictions at least through Phase 1 until June 5th. He also said the state's largest Office of Motor Vehicle locations will reopen by Monday. Louisiana’s Phase 1 of reopening Friday gives more leeway to restaurants and churches and allows gyms, movie theaters, malls and hair and nail salons to operate with restrictions. Museums, zoos and aquariums will be allowed to reopen, as will racetracks but without spectators. Casinos and video poker parlors will reopen Monday instead of Friday so operators can get with regulators to have new Phase 1 rules in place before opening their doors.