Acadia Parish and St. Landry Parish governments have opted in to reopen bars under Phase Three guidelines after officially falling under the required 5% COVID-19 positivity for the past two consecutive weeks. They, along with Jeff Davis Parish, are the only parishes in the region that are eligible to reopen bars under Phase Three guidance.
Acadia Parish Police Jury President Chance Henry and St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard have thus formally "opted-in" to have bars and other Class AG permit holders reopen immediately while following certain restrictions.
Reopened bars may offer table-side service only; standing and bar service is prohibited. Indoor capacity will be limited to a 25% occupancy rate or 50 people, whiever is less. Outdoor capacity will be limited to 50 people and only available for table-side service. Tables will be spaced in accordance with State Fire Marshal social distancing guidelines.
Bars and other Class AG permit holders may open from 5 p.m. - 11 p.m., but the sale of alcohol after 10 p.m. is prohibited. Live music is prohibited and no person under the age of 21 is allowed on the premises.
Parish business owners should check state Phase Three guidelines at opensafely.la.gov for specific reopening requirements.
Acadia Parish now joins St. Landry Parish and Jeff Davis Parish in being eligible to reopen bars. Parishes with a positivity rate of 5% or lower for two consecutive weeks are able to opt-in via their police jury. If a parish that opts in subsequently exceeds 10% positivity for two consecutive weeks, bars in the parish must close for on-premises consumption until the percent positivity decreases to 5% or less for two consecutive weeks.
Below are percent positivity rates in Acadiana over the past two weeks (week of 8/27-9/2 and week of 9/3-9/9) according to the Louisiana Department of Health:
Acadia: 4.2, 4.0
Calcasieu: 6.1, 10.3
Evangeline: 9.1, 8.4
Iberia: 6.2, 5.5
Jeff Davis: 2.7, 3.4
Lafayette: 6.1, 5.0
St. Landry: 3.3, 3.8
St. Martin: 11.4, 7.3
St. Mary: 9.5, 4.3
Vermilion: 7.1, 4.5
READ MORE: Phase Three reopening guidelines
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