COVID-19 continues to dominate events at the Capitol, where the Governor hosted US Surgeon General Jerome Adams. Adams touched on whether or not Louisiana has enough testing kits, saying he thinks we’re fine. But Adams, along with Governor Edwards, stressed that unless you are showing symptoms, you should not try to get tested.
Cut 4 (12)_ “…now for coronavirus.”
After adjournment, the House Speaker had all members of the media, public, and House staff removed according to the AP to talk to House members about COVID-19 in private.
A contingency plan was reportedly discussed about Capitol operations and the session, a contingency that for now is on hold as the session is expected to continue despite the closures of Universities and the cancelations of events across the state. Members were told to stay at home if sick, wash their hands, and disinfect frequently.
Roughly 24,000 people were warned in mid-February they could lose Medicaid eligibility due to income requirements, with those cancelations set to happen mid-March right as COVID-19 is ramping up. Louisiana Budget Project Executive Director Jan Moller says it would be hard to find a worse time to kick people off of Medicaid. He’s calling for the program to freeze all coverage suspensions.
The deadline to respond to the letter warning of cancellations passed in late February.
LDH Health Secretary Stephen Russo told the advocate when asked about the topic that “there has not been any talk that we would delay any of that.”
In a bit of out of state COVID-19 Legislative news, the Georgia Legislature has decided to suspend their session after Friday.