Governor John Bel Edwards says he’ll likely make an announcement early next week on what restrictions will be lifted when the current stay-at-home order expires on April 30th. Edwards says as we get ready for a new normal, residents should get used to wearing masks in public places…
cut 11 (08) “…covering”
Edwards says the state is halfway through a 14-day period of a downward trajectory of new cases which is needed to partially reopen the economy.

Since March 27th, the Louisiana Workforce Commission has paid $561 million in unemployment benefits to 302,000 claimants. LWC executive director Ava Dejoie says when you compare the numbers to last year, it shows the massive impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the state’s workforce.
Cut 13 (09) “…short of mindblowing.”

We are receiving reports about storm-related deaths in DeSoto and Rapides Parishes. We’ll have more on this in future newscasts.

Tulane University is launching a study to see if hydroxychloroquine can prevent transmission in people exposed to COVID-19. Tulane School of Medicine Infectious Disease Epidemiologist Doctor Patricia Kissinger says if you’ve been in close contact with a confirmed case and you’re interested, they’ll have you do a telemedicine conference, then…
cut 8 (08) “…day 28″
Tulane hopes to enroll 500 local participants.

There is no Festival International in downtown Lafayette this weekend, but a three-day virtual music festival will begin tomorrow night. Festival spokesperson Carly Viator says their famous festival punch will also be available…
cut 5 (09) “…souvenir cups”