EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTPROCLAMATION NUMBER 79JBE 2021

COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
MITIGATION MEASURES
WHEREAS,pursuant to the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster
Ac~ La. R.S. 29:721, et seq., the Governor declared a public health emergency on March11, 2020 in Proclamation Number 25 JBE 2020 in response to the threat posed by
COVID-19;

WHEREAS,pursuant to the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster
Act, La. R.S. 29:721, et seq., on March 11, 2020 in Proclamation Number 25 JBE 2020,
the Governor declared that a statewide public health emergency existed in the State ofLouisiana because of COVID-19 and expressly empowered the Governor's Office ofHomeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the Secretary of the Department ofHealth and/or the State Health Officer to take all actions authorized under state law;

WHEREAS,

La. R.S. 29:761 provides that ''[b]ecause the government must do all that is reasonable
and necessary to protect the health and safety of its citizens; because new and emerging
dangers, including emergent and resurgent infectious diseases ... pose serious andimmediate threats; because a renewed focus on the prevention, detection, management,and containment of public health emergencies is essential; and because emergency healththreats ... may require the exercise of extraordinary government powers and functions,the state must have the ability to respond, rapidly and effectively, to potential or actual
public health emergencies";

WHEREAS,on March 22, 2020, in Proclamation Number 33 JBE 2020, the Governor issued a Stayat Home order that, among other things, ordered the people of Louisiana to stay at theirhomes unless taking essential trips or to travel to or from a place of employment, orderedsome non-essential businesses to be closed, and placed limitations on other businesses
that were allowed to remain open, which was ultimately extended until May 15, 2020;

WHEREAS,on April 16, 2020, the White House Coronavirus Task Force issued guidelines entitled"Opening Up America Again" that provided guidance to the states on how various partsof the economy could be re-opened;

WHEREAS,

this guidance calls for the re-opening to occur in three phases, with the gating criteria formovement between phases being a 14-day downward trajectory in influenza-like andCOVID-like symptoms, a 14-day downward trajectory in cases or positive tests as apercent of total tests, and the ability for hospitals to treat all patients without crisis care;

WHEREAS,on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, the Governor renewed the public health emergency,
keeping the state of Louisiana in Phase 3 of Resilient Louisiana, maintaining many of themitigation measures that have successfully slowed the spread of COVID-19 in the state;

WHEREAS,

since that time, Louisiana has seen significant progress in the fight against COVID-19,
with cases, positivity rates, and hospitalizations decreasing significantly, while at thesame time seeing the health care providers in this state initiate a vaccine series to1,475,366 people;WHEREAS,

however, the threat of COVID-19 is by no means over, as variants, especially the B.1.1. 7
variant, continue to develop and show signs of increase in the state;

WHEREAS,

the need for the mitigation measures in this proclamation remains significant, as thesuccess of the vaccine administration in Louisiana shows that the state can continue totum the comer on this pandemic if there is continued vigilance;

WHEREAS,should there be an increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, the percent
positivity of testing, or should the number of COVID-19 related hospitalizations threaten
the ability of the health care system to properly respond, it may be necessary to go backto the full restrictions in the Stay at Home order in Proclamation Number 52 JBE 2020;
andWHEREAS,

these measures are necessary to protect the health and safety of the people of Louisiana.

NOW THEREFORE, I, JOHN BEL EDWARDS, Governor of the State of Louisiana, by virtue ofthe authority vested by the Constitution and the laws of the State of Louisiana, do hereby order anddirect as follows:
SECTION 1:

SECTION 2:

GENERAL PROVISIONSA)

Pursuant to the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance andDisaster Act, La. R.S. 29:721 et seq. and the Louisiana Health Emergency Powers
Act, La. R.S. 29:760, et seq., a statewide public health emergency is declared tocontinue to exist in the State of Louisiana as a result of the continued threat posed
to Louisiana citizens by COVID-19, the effects of which continue to threaten thelives and health of the citizens of the state.

8)

The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness andSecretary of the Department of Health are hereby expressly empowered to takeany and all actions authorized under the Louisiana Health Emergency Powers
Act, La. R.S. 29:760, et seq., in relation to this public health emergency.

C)

The Secretary of the Department of Health and/or the State Health Officer arehereby expressly empowered to take any and all actions authorized thereto underTitles 29 and 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes and under the State Sanitary
Code (LAC Title 51) in relation to this public health emergency.

COVID-19 MITIGATION MEASURESA)

All individuals who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 should
stay at home, unless travelling outside the home for an essential activity, such as:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Obtaining food, medicine, and other similar goods necessary for theindividual or a family member of the individual.
Obtaining medical care and treatment and other similar vital services for anindividual or a family member of the individual.
Going to and from an individual's workplace.
Going to and from the home of a family member.
Going to and from an individual's place of worship.
Engaging in outdoor activity, provided individuals maintain a distance of
six feet from one another.

Those individuals who are at higher risk of severe illness, as designated by theCenters for Disease Control (CDC), are those with conditions such as asthma,
chronic lung disease, compromised immune systems (including from smoking,cancer treatment, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies,
poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, or use of corticosteroids or other immune
weakening medications), diabetes, serious heart disease (including heart failure,coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathies, andhypertension), chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis, liver disease, orsevere obesity or those who are 65 or older or living in a nursing home or longterm care facility.

This Subsection does not apply to any individuals who are fully vaccinated(someone who is at least two weeks beyond receiving a full administration ofcovid-19 vaccine).
B)

BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONAL MITIGATION MEASURES
1)

Restaurants, Cafes, and Coffee Shopsa)b)

2)

All restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops shall be allowed to provide
dine-in service under the following conditions:i)
Waiting areas may be open to patrons, while maintaining socialdistancing.
ii) All buffets or other common food stations may resume normal
operations, but only if social distancing is maintained between
patrons while at the buffet.
Any business operating pursuant to this Paragraph is encouraged tofollow the applicable guidance from the State Fire Marshal publishedat opensafely.la.gov and the Louisiana Department of Health withregard to sanitization and disinfection.

Beauty Shops, Salons, and Barber Shops
All beauty shops, salons, and barber shops shall be allowed to operate under
the following conditions:a)b)

3)

Waiting areas may be open to patrons, while maintaining social
distancing.
Any business operating pursuant to this Paragraph is encouraged tofollow the applicable guidance from the State Fire Marshal publishedat opensafely.la.gov and their applicable regulatory board or agency
with regard to sanitization and disinfection.

Shopping Malls
All shopping malls shall be allowed to operate under the following
conditions:a)b)

4)Casinos, Racetracks, and Video Poker Establishmentsa)

5)

Mall food courts may open in line with the restaurant guidancecontained in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection and the restaurant
guidance published at opensafely.la.gov.
Any establishment in operation is encouraged to follow guidance fromthe Louisiana Department of Health with regard to sanitization anddisinfection.

Lobbies or other areas where members of the public may congregate
may be open to the public, while maintaining social distancing.

Gyms and fitness centersa)b)

Waiting rooms, lobbies, or other areas where members of the public
may congregate may be open to the public, while maintaining social
distancing.
Any business operating pursuant to this Paragraph is encouraged tofollow the applicable guidance from the State Fire Marshal publishedat opensafely.la.gov and the Louisiana Department of Health withregard to sanitization and disinfection.

6)

Athletic events
a)

b)

c)
d)

e)

7)

Event centers, reception halls, and theaters
a)

b)

c)

d)

8)

No stadium, sports complex, or arena hosting any athletic event,whether amateur or professional, shall exceed 75% of the total
occupancy, while adhering to the maximum social distancing possible
between spectators, as determined by the State Fire Marshal.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph,
if an establishment requires patrons to wear face coverings throughout
the event, the establishment may increase its occupancy to 100% of
the total occupancy, as determined by the State Fire Marshal.
If the athletic event is outdoors, there shall be no capacity restrictions.
Alcohol sales shall be permitted at athletic events under the following
conditions:i)
All patrons purchasing an alcoholic beverage shall be required
to return to their ticketed seats for consumption and shall not
be allowed to stand or congregate in open areas to consumealcohol.
·ii)
Crowd managers and signage shall be utilized to instructpatrons that alcoholic beverages shall be consumed at thepatron's ticketed seat and shall not occur while standing or
congregating in open areas.
iii)
The stadium, sports complex, or arena shall further comply
with any guidance or regulations from the State Fire Marshal
or the Commissioner of Alcohol and Tobacco Control.
iv)
This provision does not supersede any local governmental
restrictions regarding alcohol sales at athletic events.
Any event held pursuant to this Paragraph is encouraged to follow theapplicable guidance from the State Fire Marshal published at
opensafely.la.gov and the Louisiana Department of Health with regard
to social distancing, sanitization, and disinfection.

No establishment shall exceed 75% of the total occupancy as
determined by the State Fire Marshal. Events held pursuant to thisParagraph shall follow the restaurant guidance issued by the State Fire
Marshal published at opensafely.la.gov.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph,
if an establishment requires patrons to wear face coverings throughout
the event, the establishment may increase its occupancy to 100% of
the total occupancy, as determined by the State Fire Marshal.
Waiting rooms, lobbies, or other areas where members of the public
may congregate may be open to the public, while maintaining social
distancing.
Any business operating pursuant to this Paragraph shall follow theapplicable guidance from the State Fire Marshal published atopensafely.la.gov and the Louisiana Department of Health with regard
to sanitization and disinfection.

Barsa)b)c)d)

All patrons shall be seated at tables. Walk-up service at the bar may
resume, however patrons shall return to their table for consumption.
All seating of patrons shall be socially distanced.
No patron shall be allowed on premises unless of the legal age toconsume alcoholic beverages.
Any businesses operating pursuant to this Paragraph shall follow theapplicable guidance from the State Fire Marshal published atopensafely.Ia.gov, the Commissioner of Alcohol and Tobacco
Control, and the Louisiana Department of Health with regard tosanitization and disinfection.

9)

Conventions and conferencesa)

b)

c)

d)

No establishment shall exceed 75% of the total occupancy, while
adhering to social distancing between members of the public, as
determined by the State Fire Marshal.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (a) ofthis Paragraph,
if an establishment requires patrons to wear face coverings throughout
the event, the establishment may increase its occupancy to 100% of
the total occupancy, as determined by the State Fire Marshal.
Waiting rooms, lobbies, or other areas where members of the publicmay congregate may be open to the public, while maintaining social
distancing.
Any business operating pursuant to this Paragraph must have a plan
approved by the State Fire Marshal and shall follow the applicableguidance from the State Fire Marshal published at opensafely.la.gov
and the Louisiana Department of Health with regard to sanitizationand disinfection.

10) All other businesses or organizations shall be allowed to continue
operations, subject to the following conditions:
a)

b)

C)

SECTION 3:

Waiting rooms, lobbies, or other areas where members of the public
may congregate may be open to the public, while maintaining social
distancing.
Any business operating pursuant to this Paragraph is encouraged tofollow the applicable guidance from the State Fire Marshal publishedat opensafely.la.gov and the Louisiana Department of Health withregard to sanitization and disinfection.

To further prevent the spread of COVID-19, crowd sizes shall be limited to nomore than 75% capacity as set by the State Fire Marshal people in any single
indoor space at the same time. Notwithstanding this limitation, if an establishment
requires patrons to wear face coverings throughout the event, the establishment
may increase its occupancy to 100% of the total occupancy, as determined by theState Fire Marshal. This crowd size limitation shall not apply to those businesses
deemed essential as defined by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security
Agency, or religious services held by churches and other faith-basedorganizations. All fairs and festivals shall submit a plan for approval to the State
Fire Marshal.

FACE COVERINGSA)

Except as provided for in the remaining Subsections of this Section, the statewide
face covering mandate is no longer in effect. However, all individuals, especiallythose most vulnerable, are still strongly encouraged to wear face coverings whileinteracting with members of the public.

B)

In accordance with the order issued by the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC) on January 29, 2021, all individuals shall wear a face coveringover the nose and mouth while passengers and operators of public conveyances,including airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, buses, taxis, ride-shares, and thecorresponding transportation hubs. The CDC order is found athttps://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/Mask-Order-CDC GMTF O1-29-21-p.pdf.

C)All offices of the State of Louisiana shall continue to require all employees andvisitors to wear a face covering over the nose and mouth. However, any agency
or department head may opt out of this requirement by sending a written noticeto the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and by posting such noticeprominently at the entrance of the building or office.

D)

All early childhood, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary educational
institutions in the State of Louisiana shall continue to require all students,
employees, and visitors to wear a face covering over the nose and mouth.

E)

The requirements in Section 3 (A), (B), and (C) do not apply to the following:
1)

2)

3)

4)
5)
6)
7)

8)
9)

Any individual who will not come in contact with any other individual(outside of their immediate household members) or who will be able tomaintain strict social distancing of six feet apart from any other individual(outside of their immediate household members);
any child under the age of eight, however all children between the ages of
two and seven years old are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering inaccordance with Subsection (A) of this Section;
any individual with a medical condition that prevents the wearing of a facecovering;
any individual who is consuming food or drinks;
any individual seeking to communicate with someone who has or 1ssuspected of having a communication disorder;
any individual giving a speech for broadcast or to an audience;
any individual temporarily removing his or her face covering for
identification purposes;
any athlete participating in organized athletic activities; orin groups or 10 or less, if all of the individuals have been fully vaccinated.

F)

All local governing authorities and operators of private businesses andorganizations shall retain the authority to issue more restrictive measures thanthat imposed by the State, including requiring members of the public to wear facecoverings while in local governmental buildings and private businessestablishments.

G)

If a business or organization does not allow entry to a worker, customer, or patronbecause that person refuses to wear a face covering, and if that worker, customer,or patron enters the premises or refuses to leave the premises, law enforcement
personnel may enforce the trespassing laws and any other laws that the worker,
customer, or patron may violate.

SECTION 4:

The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the State
Fire Marshal are directed to ensure compliance with this order, and are empowered toexercise all authorities pursuant to La. R.S. 29:721, et seq., and La. R.S. 29:760, et seq.

SECTION 5:

All departments, commissions, boards, agencies and officers of the state, or any politicalsubdivision thereof, are authorized and directed to cooperate in actions the state may takein response to the effects of this event.

SECTION 6:

Unless otherwise provided in this order, these provisions are effective from Wednesday,April 28, 2021 to Wednesday, May 26, 2021, or as extended by any subsequent
Proclamation, unless terminated sooner.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my handofficially and caused to be affixed the Great Seal ofLouisiana in the City of Baton Rouge, on this 27th
day of April, 2021.

ATTEST BY THE
SECRETARY OF STATESECRETARY OF STATE