LA COVID RESTRICTIONS— Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards is renewing his current COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and activities, and he's warning: the holidays threaten to exacerbate Louisiana’s latest coronavirus surge. During his regular scheduled Covid-19 update press conference yesterday, the Democratic governor made these announcements as Louisiana reached its highest number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients since April.
"It remains a nearly perilous situation for the state as it pertains to Covid," Edwards said. "Even if we're doing better, the caseload, the hospitalizations, the deaths are at a very high level."
"Even if we're doing better, the caseload, the hospitalizations, the deaths are at a very high level." Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana
Edwards' rules were toughened in late November. They were set to expire today, but the governor is renewing them through Jan. 13th. The extension of the modified Phase 2 restrictions comes as data from the Louisiana Department of Health shows an increase in Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations across the state after the Thanksgiving day holiday. Edwards explained the concern is that another coronavirus surge is likely after the Christmas and New Year’s holidays unless people follow the mitigation guidelines.
"But if we insist on traveling and having those holiday-related activities and gatherings like we normally would, then we're obviously going to be in even more trouble," Edwards explained.
The start of coronavirus vaccinations has offered hope about the pandemic's end, but it remains months before widespread immunizations will be available. About 22,000 hospital workers and Emergency Medical Services employees in Louisiana have received their first of two vaccinations so far according to the state health department.
