LOUISIANA – Bars in downtown Baton Rouge, once a popular spot for capital area tourists, have experienced a significant reduction in foot traffic since Louisiana was confronted by the COVID-19 health crisis in March of 2020.
As the state continues to recover from the pandemic, its reopening process has been creeping along with COVID statistics steering official decisions as to which reopening phase is a best fit for Louisiana at any given time.
Periodically, Governor John Bel Edwards updates the public on which reopening phase the state is expected to either regress or move forward to. It’s these addresses that Baton Rouge business owners, particularly bar owners, are eager to hear.
During Edwards’ last update on the state’s reopening, the governor moved the state forward from Modified Phase Two to more relaxed COVID restrictions under Phase Three restrictions.
While the new Phase Three reopening guidelines meant Louisiana’s restaurants and similar venues were able to move from fifty percent capacity indoors to seventy-five percent indoor capacity, bars did not fall under the same capacity guidelines.
Often viewed as potential hotspots for possible COVID outbreaks, bars were only moved up to twenty-five percent capacity indoors. They were also required to close by 11 p.m., a far cry from their pre-pandemic 2 a.m. or later closing times.
While bar owners and employees expressed gratitude for the recent slight relaxation in restrictions, many are also looking forward to further easing of COVID-related capacity precautions.
This may be something Governor Edwards addresses during a Wednesday (March 24) 2:30 p.m. news briefing on Louisiana’s response to the COVID-19 health crisis.
According to the governor’s office, Edwards is expected to share information related to where the state stands in relation to all COVID-related statistics, in addition to weather-related information.
WBRZ will air the conference on all of its platforms including Channel 2, WBRZ Plus, and Facebook.
