Louisiana keeps coronavirus restrictions in place as state sees uptick in cases

Published 3:44 pm Monday, June 22, 2020

Louisiana won’t be further easing its restrictions on businesses because the state is seeing a troubling, recent uptick in coronavirus cases.

Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Monday that he’ll keep in place the current limitations on restaurants, bars and retailers enacted on June 5, which were set to expire Friday. He’s extending the restrictions until July 24.

The decision comes as Louisiana exceeded the grim mark of 3,000 deaths from the outbreak.

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The Democratic governor was considering moving Louisiana from Phase 2 to Phase 3 of reopening under the White House guidelines. But he decided against the move based on the latest surge in cases of the COVID-19 disease and hospitalizations over the last week.

“We do have a new normal, whether we like it or not,” Edwards said. “There are a lot of people out there saying they are done with this virus. Well, the virus isn’t done with us.”

The regulations that will be renewed keep churches, restaurants, coffee shops, bars with a food permit, gyms, hair and nail salons, museums and other businesses limited to 50% capacity. Bars that don’t have a food permit will remain limited to 25% occupancy.