NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Amid positive trends in Louisiana’s COVID-19 statistics, state athletic and education officials are cautiously planning for high school football games to begin in October - and Gov. John Bel Edwards is expressing hope he will be able to ease some restrictions on businesses next week.
State officials, leaders of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association and lawmakers discussed plans for resuming football Friday morning in Baton Rouge at a meeting of the House Education Committee.
Later, in New Orleans, Edwards made no commitments to ease restrictions that have limited public gatherings and restaurant seating while shutting down bars since July. But, noting that current restrictions expire next Friday, he said he hopes he will be able to announce that the state will be able to move to less restrictive “Phase 3” regulations.
“Obviously, I hope that we can. I hope the data supports that,” Edwards said.
Exactly what Phase 3 might look like, and whether it would allow bars to open, is unclear.
Current regulations limit restaurants to 50% capacity for in-person dining, restrict bars to takeout and delivery only and place occupancy limits on gyms, salons and other businesses deemed nonessential. Face coverings are required for anyone age 8 and older, with medical exceptions. Indoor gatherings above 50 people are banned.
Groups of bar owners have gone to a federal appeals court to seek permission to reopen for on-site service after federal judges in Lafayette and New Orleans rejected their lawsuits challenging the restrictions.
Edwards spoke at a news conference in New Orleans after touring a resource center where the city has arranged various kinds of aid, including food and medical help, for evacuees from southwest Louisiana following last week’s landfall of Hurricane Laura.
Relaxing COVID-19 restrictions could be complicated in the aftermath of the storm. Edwards has repeatedly expressed concern about the effect the evacuation of southwestern Louisiana residents to other parts of the state - as well as an influx of relief workers - would have on the spread of COVID-19.
Edwards also noted that the coming Labor Day weekend could lead to ill-advised public gatherings that might spread the virus.
Although cases continue to mount in Louisiana, the number of new cases reported daily has been consistently under 1,000 since mid-August. The percentage of positive results for COVID-19 tests given has been trending downward and has been consistently below 10% since late July, according to an analysis by the Public Affairs Research Council, and hospitalizations reported by the state have also been dropping.
The state reported 828 new confirmed cases and 14 new deaths Friday. The total number of confirmed cases in Louisiana was 151,473 as of midday Friday with more than 134,000 of those infected presumed to have recovered. The death toll stood at 4,872. The number of people hospitalized fell from 851 Thursday to 808 Friday - the lowest it’s been since early July when cases were on the rise.
As for high school football, under the scenario outlined Friday in Baton Rouge -and subject to LHSAA executive committee approval expected next Wednesday - practices could begin later this month and games would begin Oct. 8 or 9.
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