Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards today extended the stay-at-home order issued to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Edwards said he consulted with four epidemiologists along with other doctors from the Louisiana Department of Health.
"I am announcing we'll be extending the stay-at-home order which expires on Thursday April the 30th until May the 15th," the governor said, saying there have not been consistent decreases statewide. "The fact is that we just don't meet the criteria"
The governor said while the stay-at-home order will remain in place, there will be three changes coming Friday.
"Malls will remain closed to the public but stores may be open for curb side delivery," said Edwards.
Restaurants will be allowed to have outdoor dining, although the governor said there won't be table service.
"So you're not going to be able to sit down and have somebody bring you the meal," said Edwards. "But if there is table outside of the restaurant, when you pick that meal up, then you'll be able to eat it at that table."
And thirdly, the governor says employees of businesses that interact with the public must wear masks or other face coverings. And the governor says Louisiana residents are strongly urged to wear masks or face coverings whenever in public, per CDC recommendations.
The governor said even in the last month and a half, businesses deemed non-essential could still open, as long as no more than ten customers at a time were allowed inside. And churches and other places of worship may stay open, as long as they abide by the ten-person limit.
Any effort to lift current restrictions requires more testing, the governor has said, along with the ability to do comprehensive contact tracing, and do it quickly.