Masks Required, Responding to a Rise in Cases

On Saturday, Governor John Bel Edwards held a press conference to announce new guidelines for Louisiana's response to a rising number of COVID-19 cases.

Beginning Monday, masks will be required by the state of Louisiana when entering any establishment statewide. This includes churches. 

From the moment Louisiana United Methodist churches resumed in-person worship, the Conference has always recommended everyone wear a mask for worship, and that is important now more than ever.

The mask mandate applies indoors and outdoors when persons cannot be distant from one another.

The Governor's new mandate also limits the number of people for gatherings to 50. However, guidelines for Phase 2 remain intact. The number of people allowed inside a church building for worship is still dependant upon the occupancy rate for that particular space and may include more than 50.

As Governor Edwards said, being a good neighbor should be our goal. As faith leaders, we should not only be a good neighbor, but we should model what it means to care for one another.

The increase in COVID-19 cases is significant, and the data is alarming.

Louisiana is No. 3 in the U.S. in per capita COVID-19 cases. A month ago, Louisiana ranked tenth. Since then, there have been 18,538 new cases. Only New York and New Jersey have higher per capita case rates.

Guidance during a pandemic changes because of changes in data. The need to share the good news of Jesus Christ will never change. May we all continue to find ways to do so during these uncertain times.

 

If you don't like the mask mandate, then don't like it. But wear your mask anyway if you're going to be out in public. #MaskUpLa #lagov pic.twitter.com/ZAbHOQqUBH

— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) July 11, 2020