Gov. Edwards announces Louisiana will remain in Phase 3

By Reveille Staff Report

November 5, 2020

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards holds up his own mask, taken off while he was speaking, to remind Louisiana residents that a highly effective thing within their power to do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to simply wear a mask, Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at a press conference update on the state’s COVID-19 situation at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Baton Rouge, La.

Governor John Bel Edwards announced Thursday at a press conference that Louisiana will remain in Phase 3 until at least Dec. 4.
“We are currently in a plateau,” he said. “We’re not improving, but we’re not getting worse.”
Edwards said the state will continue enforcing its current mask mandate, recognizing that hospitalization and cases have not subsided. He stated that there were 740 new cases and 20 additional deaths.
The decision comes after 65 of the 68 House Republicans signed a petition last month ordering the governor to end the virus restrictions for a week, according to the Advocate. Edwards refused to comply and called the petition “reckless” and unconstitutional, later filing suit in the 19th Judicial District Court against House Speaker Clay Schexnayder asking Judge William Morvant to declare the petition null and void.
Edwards also announced that Hurricane Eta will make its arrival sometime next week and asked for residents of the state to prepare. The National Guard is currently assisting with previous hurricane relief efforts after Hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta, according the Edwards.
This post will be updated with further information.