Louisiana will remain in Phase 3 of its coronavirus reopening plan through Dec. 4, Gov. John Bel Edwards, announced Thursday.
The governor said that risky behavior from residents over the Halloween weekend had him “on pins and needles” worrying that a new surge of COVID-19 is coming.
“I’m hoping, praying, it doesn’t show up in the data in terms of increased cases,” Edwards said.
Because it takes time after exposure for changes in the number of positive tests and hospitalizations, Edwards said, “You’re always worse off than your current numbers show.”
Edwards’ extension of the public health emergency for four additional weeks comes nearly two weeks after Republicans in the Louisiana House produced a petition ordering the governor to end his public health emergency and a day after Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry unsuccessfully tried to get a Baton Rouge judge to stop the governor from making an emergency proclamation.
Blake Miguez, the House Republican Caucus Chair, said in a phone interview Thursday that he had hoped the petition would send a message to Gov. Edwards “through the voice of their elected representatives” that the citizens and business owners of Louisiana don’t want continued restrictions, “but by extending the COVID-19 restrictions,” Miguez said, “it’s obvious it fell on deaf ears.”
Edwards filed an Oct. 26 lawsuit in East Baton Rouge Parish claiming that the law that allows a majority of one legislative chamber to override a governor’s public health emergency is unconstitutional. Nineteenth Judicial District Judge William Morvant has scheduled a Nov. 12 hearing in that case.
At Thursday’s press conference, Dr. Joe Kanter, the interim assistant secretary of the Office of Public Health, said COVID-19 cases across the state have plateaued.
“The second that we lose vigilance, we’re going to see ourselves unfortunately where a number of other states are right now,” Kanter said.
The governor said Louisiana ranks 44th in the country in the COVID-19 infection rate, but “it is not because we improved our standing. It is because of the deterioration of other states’ standings, and the increase in cases elsewhere,” he added.
Edwards said Louisianans should remember that cases across the country are rising as they make plans for Thanksgiving. The situation is unlikely, he said, to be any better by Christmas.
— Article and photo by JC Canicosa/Louisiana Illuminator
"current" - Google News
November 06, 2020 at 09:29PM
https://ift.tt/38jXtM6
Governor Extends Current COVID Restrictions Through December 4 - Bossier Now
"current" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3b2HZto
https://ift.tt/3c3RoCk
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Governor Extends Current COVID Restrictions Through December 4 - Bossier Now"
Post a Comment