Louisiana governor eases virus rules, lets bars open indoors

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's bars can reopen indoors, restaurants can hold more customers and churches won't have capacity limits for worship services, under loosened coronavirus rules announced Tuesday by Gov. John Bel Edwards.

The eased “Phase 3” restrictions — which come as Louisiana's new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have continued to drop — will take effect Wednesday across the state, unless a local mayor or parish president enacts tougher limits. Louisiana's statewide mask mandate, in place since July, will remain.

The new requirements will stay in place until March 31.

“We’re currently moving in the right direction and have been for several weeks now, and certainly, we’re all gratified by that,” the Democratic governor said. “We know, however, we still have a lot of work to do before we get out of this pandemic.”

Restaurants, cafes, spas, salons, movie theaters and other nonessential businesses that had been limited to 50% of their occupancy limit can move to 75% capacity. The exception is for gyms, which Edwards is requiring to stay at 50% capacity.

Read more: https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Louisiana-governor-eases-virus-rules-lets-bars-15994023.php