Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) extended the state’s stay-at-home order through May 15 but said Monday that businesses might begin reopening at a reduced capacity after that date.
Edwards said the state doesn’t meet the White House’s criteria for phase one of reopening, which recommends a downward trajectory in new cases for two weeks.
“While this is not the announcement I want to make, I am hopeful, and all of Louisiana should be hopeful, that we will enter into the next phase of reopening soon, in mid-May,” Edwards said in a statement.
“I am anxious to get all areas of our economy reopened, but if we accelerate too quickly, we may have to slam on the brakes. That will be bad for public health and for businesses, bad for our people and bad for our state,” he added.
Louisiana has experienced one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the South, with more than 27,000 confirmed cases as of Monday afternoon, including 1,700 deaths.
Edwards said new cases and hospitalizations have decreased statewide but increased in the Baton Rouge and Monroe regions of the state.
Edwards said he will make announcements about the next phase May 11 but hopes to lift the stay-at-home order and ease restrictions on houses of worship, restaurants and other businesses.