Grocery shoppers have noticed some empty shelves since COVID-19, Brooke Thorington has more.
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Governor Edwards says starting Friday the state will move into Phase One of the federal economic reopening plan. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Louisiana’s business lobbyists are cautiously optimistic about moving into phase one of economic reopening, but feel more needs to be done. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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At the grocery store you have probably noticed some empty shelves since COVID-19. LSU Ag Center Professor of Nutrition and Food Science Louise Wicker says before the outbreak more than 50 percent of the food Americans’ consumed was from restaurants.
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Wicker says an average of 13 percent of our food dollar was spent dollar at the grocery store, and COVID-19 changed the dynamic of food distribution overnight. Wicker says even the packaging of the food you see on the shelves now might even look different.
As for a predicted meat shortage, Wicker says it is not for a lack of meat, it is due to outbreaks of COVID-19 at meat processing plants, but she says there is meat available in frozen storage.
Cut 6 (12) “…the hoarding.”
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Starting Friday restaurants, churches, gyms, casinos, and other establishments closed by the stay at home order will be allowed to open at 25 percent capacity.
Governor Edwards says the numbers show it is safe to end the stay at home order and implement federal Phase One guidelines.
Social gatherings will still not be recommended.
Edwards says employees dealing with the public must wear a facemask and the 25 percent number is based upon gross square footage and the particular use of your building.
The proclamation will be issued Thursday and is effective Friday.
Phase One is not a full reopening. Edwards says many businesses will still need to remain closed in the interest of public health.
The state is scheduled to remain in Phase One until June 5th, with a decision about potentially moving to Phase Two being made June 1st.
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Attorney General Jeff Landry wants to see a probe of the Chinese government’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic. Landry says it is time the House to put the same energy used in investigating the President into focusing on something that is actually impacting the country.
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Landry is among 18 state AGs to write a letter to the US House and Senate Foreign Relations Committee and other Congressional leaders asking for Congressional hearings to help better understand the origins of the virus.
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Landy cites recent reports suggesting that the Chinese government willfully and knowingly concealed information about the severity of the virus while simultaneously stockpiling PPE. Landry says before it is known what accountability looks like for China, there are many questions that need to be answered.
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Louisiana’s business lobbyists are cautiously optimistic about the reopening of some of that state’s businesses but feel more needs to be done. National Federation of Independent Business State Director Dawn Starns says operating at 25% of capacity is still a huge hurdle, and doesn’t believe employees should count against that number.
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Starns says some of the logic behind why some businesses can reopen and others can’t is unclear. Starns adds that the guidance set by the White House doesn’t fit for small business.
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Currently, the Governor’s administration says they will not be revisiting the decisions of reopenings until June 1st. Louisiana Association of Business and Industry President Stephen Waguespack says he’s glad the beginning of the recovery has begun, but it’s a steep curve as over 300,000 are unemployed in the state.
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Employees are required to wear face masks when they are dealing with the public and Waguespack says businesses are okay with adapting to guidelines aimed at mitigating the spread.