Edwards Repeals Mask Mandate

Facemasks are no longer required indoors in Louisiana, except in K-12 schools.

Gov. John Bel Edwards has lifted the state’s COVID-19 indoor mask mandate, effective today.

“After sustained improvement across the state in new cases, test positivity and hospitalizations, I will lift Louisiana’s statewide mask mandate in all settings except for K-12 schools, which may opt out as long as they continue implementing existing CDC quarantine guidance,” Edwards said during a Tuesday afternoon press conference.

The new order gives allows schools to loosen up on mask requirements or quarantine rules, but not both.

Edwards said local government and private businesses also have the option of continuing to require masks. Louisiana has been under an indoor mask mandate since Aug. 4. Edwards said he will review his new order in 28 days.

He said Louisiana’s COVID-19 statistics have returned to pre-delta-variant levels.

“I stand here today optimistic, relieved that the worst of the fourth surge is clearly behind us,” Edwards said.

He credited part of that to mask wearing and to an increasing number of people who have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We have overcome this fourth surge, this Delta surge,” Edwards said.

But he warned the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t over, and no one knows what the future will hold.

Lincoln Parish now stands at 4,629 confirmed cases of the respiratory virus since the pandemic began in March of 2020, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 100 parish residents thus far, LDH reports.