Governor John Bel Edwards is tightening restrictions on the public in an effort to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Edwards is making masks mandatory across the state in parishes where the disease has begun spreading rapidly in recent days. Edwards said the restrictions will be in effect beginning one minute after midnight Monday morning.
The urgency of the situation was highlighted by the Governor scheduling a Saturday news conference with a relatively short notice to the news media. The notice of the 2:30 news conference was only distributed to the media at 11:49 Saturday morning.
Red River, West Feliciana and Grant parishes are the only parishes in the state with a low rate of virus spread. Edwards said that these parishes may decide to notify GOSHEP that they will not require wearing of masks.
Edwards said he would sign a new proclamation on Saturday to put in place these new restrictions. Edwards said all bars would be closed to on premises consumption. Curbside service would still be available.
In addition, inside gatherings would be limited to 50 persons. Edwards said,” A large contributor to the spread is informal backyard gatherings like birthdays, wedding receptions, showers, and the like. Your close neighbors and friends still can get Covid. Keep gatherings small, physically distance, hold outdoors and wear masks.”
Well said Greg!
I’m not sure why so many are so selfish and shortsighted about wearing a mask. Don’t just think of yourself, think of others. This is about trying to keep everyone well.
You have the FREEDOM to wear one and if you feel you are protected then it doesn’t matter if others have one on…everyone should have the freedom of choice…there is a 98.7% cure rate of this virus…do you ban alcoholics from bars, obese people from restaurants…we currently have a nation where we have freedoms…if you want the government running your life…move to a communist country!
where was all the media coverage with Obama when we had the
sars epidemic ? but everyone wants to make Covid the end of the world.
There is a much higher survival rate then their is death.Just wait until
Trump wins on November fourth and the idiots will come up with something new.
Duh . . . I guess some idiots can’t tell the difference between “their” and “there.” Must be a Trump supporter, distinguished by another example of arrogant stupidity. Why do we allow the ignorant to still vote?
Trump is for freedom…your idiot governor and others on the left at the beginning of this virus said masks weren’t effective…now that we know it’s a 87.7% cure rate they want the FEAR to stay alive so now they are mandating MASKS WHICH ARENT EFFE TIVE…which THEY themselves have reported…it’s about the election…not THE SAFETY OR HEALTH of the Americans…wake up idiots on the left!
All you think about is yourself. Gov Edwards is doing his job. Do you people ever want this coronavirus to go away. Do your part for humanity. . Disgusting! Just wear a darn mask! It won’t kill you.
Its not going away or getting any better until after election in November . After that it will be just like the flu some people will get vaccine and people will still die from it till the end of time. Its completely overblown with the death rate still very low and we do have treatments to speed up recovery time. Thank goodness everyone isnt gullible enough to believe the governors lies
For those who think this is “about our very freedom and pushing the limits of gov’t authority” and “I’m not going to live my life in fear.”
You already live your life in fear. For your health, your family’s health, your job, your retirement, terrorists, extremists, one political party or the other being in power, the new neighbors, an unexpected home repair, the next sunrise. What you meant to say was, “I’m not prepared to add ANOTHER fear,” and I’ve got news for you: that ship has sailed. It’s too late. There are two kinds of people, and only two: those that admit they’re afraid, and those that are lying to themselves about it.
As to the fear argument, fear is the reason you wait up when your kids stay out late, it’s the reason you tell your kids not to dive in the shallow water, to look both ways before crossing the road. Fear is the respect for the wide world that we teach our children. Except in this instance, for reasons no one has been able to explain to me yet.
QUIT BEING AFRAID OF LOSING YOUR FREEDOM and start being afraid that your actions, by not wearing masks, staying home, and physical distancing, ARE KILLING PEOPLE. As a pro-life Christian, that is unacceptable to me. I will wear a mask, always. I wear a seatbelt and don’t drink and drive, even though those ‘infringe on my freedoms’ because I believe in the common good, of doing things that are inconvenient for the betterment of others. SO SHOULD YOU.
You are soooo misinformed and gullible. Most things you listed arent things you should be scared of unless youre a drama queen. They are just life if you are so scared of life then you stayed hidden.Not wearing a mask isnt killing anyone unless they arent protecting theirselves. Sorry but your scare tactics dont work on people with common sense. But hey stay gullible and scared
Where does JBE get the authority to override a law?
No person shall use or wear in any public place of any character whatsoever, or in any open place in view thereof, a hood or mask, or anything in the nature of either, or any facial disguise of any kind or description, calculated to conceal or hide the identity of the person or to prevent his being readily recognized.
Louisiana Revised Statutes Tit. 14, § 313. Wearing of masks ..
No one is using it as a disguise
You dont know some people just might. There is plenty of crime in NATCHITOCHES. And since this overblown virus isnt an emergency just a made up emergency using fake numbers he doesnt have any right to tell people anything thats not breaking the law
Alexander, when you want to use a statutes to prove that the governor is breaking the law, please read all the way through Louisiana’s revised statutes as it pertains to wearing a mask. Your former teachers probably know exactly who you are and they are a bit ashamed and embarrassed that they could not get you to understand the concept of reading anything to the end.
You 2 that are commenting are idiots. Always behind a computer screen complaining about everything. Neither 1 of you can’t govern anything but yourselves, but quick to condemn those that are trying to save lives.
its only an opinion says the on who won’t use their real name.
Hes not worried about no lives . He worried about keeping the economy down until after election. There are more cases but the death rate is down so more people arent dying from virus . Plus the fact most deaths said to be from virus arent from virus after all as we are learning about everyday
JBE marches in lock step with the Washington Democrat Leadership…
This is all about ruining the economy and damaging President Trump.
We’re locking down, killing the economy and masking up for a virus so “dangerous” that you must take a test to know if you have been infected.
If it were not for the media hype, no one would have ever known the Covid 19 virus existed.
We definitely need a new Governor!!! If the President of the United States refuses to wear a mask then we should have the same Right !!!
Laura, when you are tested daily and are surrounded by medical experts, you could say that. Otherwise, your logic makes no sense. I would say if you don’t want to wear a mask, STAY HOME! I get so tired of you people who stand up for YOUR rights, and think nothing of anyone else’s right. Yes, I believe the number were cooked by hospitals wanting more government funding and drug companies wanting to get the big bucks for a vaccine. THAT DOES NOT mean that the virus is not dangerous. When you have nurses who get nothing for telling what it is like watching someone die from this pandemic, they get no extra money for telling these stories. They know what it is like. There are places where it is not so bad, yes, and I pray that we are one of them, but I’ll tell you one thing!!! I don’t know of anyone who wants to die like I’ve been told the victims of the virus die. If you are young, and I can only assume you are, you don’t understand the plight of the people who have to stay inside they are already dealing with respiratory issues, and if they are exposed to this virus, and then get sick, then there is a good possibility that they will die. I’m not only talking about the elderly, I’m talking about children and adults with asthma, or chronic bronchitis because of the pollution that drifts down into the valley of the Red River.
And you men, with your macho theories!! Your bragging that they are not gonna take away your freedoms. Even if they are lying about the numbers, people are dead and dying from this virus. So as you strut around without a mask, know that you can pick the virus, and even if you body is strong enough to fight the worst of the virus off, you could bring the horrid particles of the virus into a place where there is a child that might not be able to. What have you done? Basically, you had a hand in the death of a child or a frail older person. So go be your macho self, your independent thinking self! The government doesn’t have the right to force me to wear a mask. Fine, but please don’t come around my child or my parents or grandparents. Go be your totally selfish self somewhere else!!
Please listen to what the nurses are saying as they are at the front lines of this battle. And please understand what they are having to endure as this virus spreads.
what is this idiot going to do about school ? doesn’t it start in a month or less.
There are still questions about whether the mask even works.
There is a minute chance it will kill you. There is medicine that makes you better in 2 days: hydrochloroquine and a z pack. To ruin livelihoods, isolate and instill fear in people for something easier to deal with than the flu is absurd and bears the question, what are you hoping to achieve here?
Herding us like sheep into a dark place. Some other mandate will follow and it wont be good.
The repercussions on our economy and our childrens education is horrifying.
this man here is an ” idiot ” .He will break this state
and ruin the economy eve more then it is now.
You are not wrong, Matt. Thank God the casinos are still open. As I’ve said before, he won’t mess with the big guys because he knows they have lawyers, know what’s constitutional, and won’t stand for it. He’s just a bully picking on the little guys to show how powerful he is (or thinks he is,) because he knows the little businesses can’t fight back. How dare he threaten to pull their licenses or cut off their water for customer ‘disobedience.” On what grounds can he even remotely do that? And before you start, this isn’t about convenience or health or wanting granny to die, this is our very freedom and pushing the limits of gov’t authority. Stop running scared in the name of someone keeping you safe, it can’t/won’t happen.
Let’s not even discuss if LEOs will break their oaths and enforce this or if you’re the water meter person/electrical, are you going to flip the switch?
well said and true.he has not once tried to fight with any Casino and he flip flopped
on is political party to become a lousy governor.He started out as republican and switched
to democrat.
Casinos were not able to operate for about half of March and May, and were shut down for all of April during the stay-home order issued by Gov. John Bel Edwards. Under Phase 1 reopening, which began May 15, casinos were limited to 25% capacity. Under Phase 2, they are at 50% capacity.
LA’s struggling casinos plan additional 1,375 layoffs