Gov. John Bel Edwards on Tuesday ended the statewide mask mandate that has been in place since last year. He said the number of cases and hospitalizations has dropped dramatically.
Edwards said vaccinations are the main reason for the improvement in cases and hospitalizations, and he urged more residents of the state to take advantage of vaccinations, which are free. Currently, approximately 25% of Louisiana's residents have been vaccinated.
The governor said the ending of the mask mandate would not apply to:
- K-12 schools
- Colleges and universities
- Many state government buildings
- Health care facilities
He also said that private businesses and municipal and parish buildings can continue with the mask mandate if they feel like it is necessary.
Edwards asked Louisiana residents on Tuesday not believe that easing the mask mandate means that the pandemic is over. He said restrictions could return if Coronavirus again spirals out of control.
The governor stressed, “We are not on a one-way street moving away from the pandemic. It is very much a two-way street and we do not want to go in the other direction
