John Bel Edwards announced a mandatory mask requirement for Louisiana and ordered bars in the state closed to on-premises consumption, as the state experiences increasing spread of COVID-19. The Governor also limited indoor social gatherings like wedding receptions, class reunions and parties to 50 total people.

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MASK ORDINANCE

Facial coverings for individuals. Effective July 16, 2020 at 5:00 P.M., each person shall wear a mask or other facial covering that covers his or her nostrils and mouth at all times when within six feet of a person from another household in any of the following places: an indoor space open to the general public, a vehicle operated by a transportation service, or an outdoor public space where ten or more people are gathered. But this facial-covering requirement is subject to the following exceptions.

a. Exceptions for practical necessity. The facial-covering requirement does not apply to:

(i) Any person six years of age or younger;

(ii) Any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents him or her from wearing a facial covering;

(iii) Any person while consuming food or drink, or seated at a restaurant to eat or drink;

(iv) Any person who is obtaining a service (for example, a medical or dental procedure) that requires removal of the facial covering in order to perform the service; or

(v) Any person who is required to remove the facial covering to confirm his or her identity, such as for security or screening purposes.

b. Exceptions for exercise. The facial-covering requirement does not apply to: 

(i) Any person who is actively engaged in exercise in a gym or other athletic facility if he or she maintains six feet of separation from persons of another household;

(ii) Any person who is directly participating in athletic activities in compliance with paragraph 11 of this order; or

(iii) Any person who is in a swimming pool, lake, water attraction, or similar body of water, though wearing a face covering or social distancing is strongly encouraged if safe and practicable.

c. Exceptions for effective communication. The facial-covering requirement does not apply to:

(i) Any person who is seeking to communicate with another person where the ability to see the person’s mouth is essential for communication (such as when the other person has a hearing impairment); or

(ii) Any person speaking for broadcast or to an audience if the person maintains six feet of separation from persons from another household.

d. Exceptions to facilitate constitutionally protected activity. The facial-covering requirement does not apply to:

(i) Any person who is voting, though wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged; or

(ii) Any person who cannot wear a facial covering because he or she is actively providing or obtaining access to religious worship, though wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged.

e. Exceptions for essential job functions. The facial-covering requirement does not apply to:

(i) Any first responder (including law enforcement officers, firefighters, or emergency medical personnel) if necessary to perform a public-safety function; or

(ii) Any person performing a job function if wearing a face covering is inconsistent with industry safety standards or a business’s established safety protocols. Masks or other facial coverings can be factory-made, homemade, or improvised from household items such as scarves, bandanas, or t-shirts. For instructions on how to make a facial covering at home, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s “How to Make Cloth Face Coverings,” available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/preventgetting-sick/how-to-make-cloth-face-covering.html.

MASK MANDATE FAQ

1. When do I have to wear a mask?

You have to wear a mask when you are in public and in close contact with other people. Specifically, the order says to wear a mask when you are within six feet of a person from another household any of the following places: (a) an indoor space open to the public; (b) a vehicle operated by a transportation service; and (c) an outdoor public space where ten or more people are gathered.

2. Do young children have to wear a mask? What about people who are exercising? In other words, are there any exceptions to the mask-wearing requirement? 

There are five categories of exceptions. The largest category, exceptions for “practical necessity,” covers people or situations where mask use is incompatible with the realities of life—for example, children six or younger, people with certain medical conditions or disabilities, eating and drinking, medical and dental procedures, and so on. There are also categories of exceptions for exercise, for communicating with an audience, and for certain essential job functions. An additional category carves out narrow exceptions for protected activities like voting and religious worship — but even then, wearing a mask is strongly encouraged.

3. What kind of face mask is required?

The requirement allows all kinds of masks to be used—whether store-bought, homemade, or improvised from household items like scarves, bandanas, or t-shirts. The key is for the mask to cover your nostrils and mouth. For instructions on how to make your own mask, see the CDC’s “How to Make Cloth Face Coverings,” available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ prevent-getting-sick/how-to-make-cloth-face-covering.html.

4. I live in a city or county that already has a local mask order. Am I supposed to follow my local order or this new statewide order?

Follow this new statewide order. While this order is in effect, it will replace all local mask rules to provide a uniform, statewide rule.

5. I am a business owner. What does this order mean for my business?

The order requires businesses to take reasonable steps, where practicable, to encourage mask use by employees and customers. One example of a reasonable step might be to post signs encouraging customers and patrons to wear a mask. Although a business is not required to deny entry to people who are mask-less, they always retain the right to do so—and doing so would certainly be a reasonable step to encourage mask use.

6. How long will the new mask requirement be in effect?

The new mask requirement goes into effect Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. It is currently set to expire on July 31, 2020.

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ORDER OF THE STATE HEALTH OFFICER SUSPENDING CERTAIN PUBLIC GATHERINGS DUE TO RISK OF INFECTION BY COVID-19