BRProud
BATON ROUGE, La. (BR Proud) — The Baton Rouge Area Chamber released a statement following Governor John Bel Edwards’ rescission of the statewide mask mandate for businesses and local governments.
“It’s an exciting day for Louisiana’s economic recovery from the pandemic. The lifting of the statewide mask mandate is an indication that our efforts around vaccination and lowering the rate of transmission have so far been successful,” said BRAC President and CEO, Adam Knapp.
Edwards announced Tuesday that face covering requirements will be limited to schools, hospitals, clinics and other specific locations.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, BRAC has maintained a position of supporting “Safe at Work” strategies, meaning that to the extent that it is safe and practical, businesses should be open to their fullest extent. We have heard from businesses in recent weeks that COVID restrictions have cost them business activity and productivity,” said Knapp.
The new rules starting Wednesday will require people in Louisiana to wear masks on public transit and in health care facilities, daycare centers , K-12 schools, colleges and some state buildings.
“This will be an opportunity for business owners to reassess their protocols and establish safety practices that work for them, their employees, and their customers. We are hopeful this will result in job growth across the region.” said Knapp.
Local officials can enact their own mandates.