Jul 11, 2020 - Health

Louisiana governor issues face mask mandate

Jacob Knutson

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (D) in April. — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards in April at the White House. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) issued an executive order on Saturday requiring all people ages 8 and older to wear face coverings in public to curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to The Advocate.

Why it matters: Louisiana is now the 25th state to issue some form of a mask mandate as case counts surge across the U.S.

The face covering requirement will begin on Monday, though some parishes can opt out if they meet specific case thresholds. Edwards' mandate also effectively shuts down bars within the state.

What they're saying: “It’s become clear to me especially after the numbers we saw yesterday that our current restrictions are not enough," Edwards said Saturday, per The Advocate.

The big picture: The state has reported 76,803 cases and 3,295 deaths from the virus, according to its Department of Health data.

Go deeper: Mask mandates may have prevented hundreds of thousands of coronavirus cases

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Louisiana governor issues face mask mandate

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