Gov. John Bel Edwards responds to Attorney General Jeff Landry’s letter stating face masks are unconstitutional. Edwards states that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts. Edwards also points out that recent legislation granting businesses immunity from lawsuits due to the coronavirus would be negated if employees do not practice proper PPE mandates that Landry’s ruling states is unconstitutional.
While the federal government requires COVID tests to be free some patients are finding themselves hit with additional costs like lab fees when they get tested in certain facilities. Ochsner CEO Warner Thomas says all community testing sites are completely free of any charges but what happens you are uninsured and end up in the ER due to COVID-19?
Governor Edwards says he will consider the implementation of new White House COVID-19 guidelines. Louisiana is one of 18 states in the red zone for cases and one of 11 in the red zone for testing positivity. Edwards feels the state already is covering the most prioritized spread mitigation efforts from the CDC and White House Coronavirus Task Force.
Cut 4 (11)_ “…other things too.”
The new White House recommendations call for red zone states like Louisiana to close gyms, put tighter restrictions on indoor dining capacity to 25%, and limit gatherings to 10 people.
State case numbers for COVID-19 increased by 2,179 today, with a daily testing percentage positive of 11-percent, which is above the recommended 10-percent daily average. Fatalities are up by 24 and hospitalizations are up by 12.