Gov. lifts most remaining COVID rules

Staff Report
Gov. John Bel Edwards signed an order Tuesday removing all remaining COVID-19 business capacity restrictions and nearly all mask requirements.
The move followed news that 269 COVID-positive people were in Louisiana hospitals as of Tuesday. At their peak, hospitalizations reached 2,069 in January 2021 at the height of the third wave of coronavirus infections.
Masks will be required in educational settings until the end of the current academic semester, at which time state and local oversight boards will set their own masking policies.
The Louisiana Department of Health will continue to revise guidance and masking recommendations for summer camps, following CDC guidance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced that it was safe for vaccinated people to not wear masks in most settings.
“For nearly 15 months, Louisiana has operated under necessary public health restrictions designed to save lives by slowing the spread of COVID-19,” Edwards said in a press release Tuesday.
“Thanks to the wide availability of vaccines and the 1.4 million Louisianans who already have gone sleeves up and after hitting a new low in hospitalizations, the order I have signed today contains the fewest state-mandated restrictions ever, though local governments and businesses may still and should feel empowered to take precautions that they see as necessary and prudent, including mandating masks.
“To be clear: COVID-19 is not over for our state or for our country. Anyone who has gotten the vaccine is now fully protected and can enter summer with confidence. Unfortunately, people who have not yet taken their COVID-19 vaccine remain at risk as more contagious COVID variants continue to spread and as we enter into hurricane season.”
Local governments and businesses may choose to have stronger restrictions than the state does and the governor encouraged Louisianans to respect all local or business mandates, especially when it comes to masking.
Right now, there are three safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines widely available in nearly 1,500 locations across Louisiana. All Louisi-anans 18 and older are eligible for any of the approved vaccines. Loui-sianans between the ages of 12 and 17 are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine only.
According to the CDC, more than 1.4 million Louisianans are fully vaccinated, around 30.5% of the population. The most vaccinated population, by age, is people 65 and older. Nearly 72% of people 65 and older in Louisiana are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Locally, 24.1% of St. Mary residents have been vaccinated, the Louisiana Office of Public Health reported. The vaccination rates are 23.4% in Assumption and 21.4% in St. Martin.
To get your questions answered, find a provider or event near you, get your appointment scheduled or speak directly with a medical professional, call COVID Vaccine Hotline at 855-453-0774. The hotline is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Satu-rday and noon-8 p.m. Sunday.