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Gov Edwards Credits Mitigation Measures For Covid-19 Decline

Courtesy: LDH

LOUISIANA COVID 19  DECLINES -  Louisiana  reported 26 more COVID-19 deaths Tuesday,  bringing the state's death toll to  4,195. But the trajectory of new cases and hospitalizations appears to be heading  downward.  1,164 new cases were reported Tuesday for a total of 133,125.  Although the Louisiana Department of Health  has  said  that weekend case totals  were likely artificially low due to a potential backlog in lab test reports, still  hospitalizations  fell by 47 Tuesday for a total of 1,335,  and  patients on ventilators dropped by one to 214 which shows some progress. During his Covid-19 update yesterday afternoon Governor John Bel Edwards credited recent Covid-19 declines to Phase 2 Mitigation Measures.

"We have more people wearing masks, staying home when they're sick, social-distancing when they're out, making sure that they're washing their hands and so forth," explained Edwards. "Obviously the degree to which we can get more adherence to these restrictions and mitigation meaures will actually show more progress."

"Obviously the degree to which we can get more adherence to these restrictions and mitigation meaures will actually show more progress." Governor John Bel Edwards

Edwards also gave an update on President Trump’s recent Executive Order for a $400  weekly  enhancement  payment  to  the unemployed.  The states will have to match  $100 of that, if they can’t, the enhancement will be $300.  At issue is whether or not Louisiana’s unemployment fund has enough money to do this.

Credit Courtesy: LPB
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Courtesy: LPB
Governor John Bel Edwards addressed recent declines in Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths and weighed in on President Trump's Executive Order offering a $400 enhancement to unemployed.

"The balance of which is $253-million today, it was about  $1-billion and 50-million or so on March the 1st and obviously the solvency of that fund is severely threatened," Edwards said.

Edwards explained that the state may have to borrow money from the Federal Government to restore the solvency of the State’s Employment Trust Fund but added this was was not a desired choice.  The Democratic Governor also said he believes about about  200,000 of unemployed workers  may not qualify for any enhanced benefit because they receive less than $100 a week in state unemployment benefits.

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.