NEW IBERIA, La. — Iberia Parish President Larry Richard issued an additional order on Monday to clarify which businesses can be open in the parish during the Gov. John Bel Edwards' Stay-At-Home Order to reduce the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The additional order will be in place from 5 p.m. on April 7 until midnight on April 30.
According to the order, all grocery stores, dollar stores, convenience stores and "big box" stores will be allowed to operate from 5 a.m. - 8 p.m. However, stores are limited to no more than 20% of the Louisiana State Fire Marshal capacity to be present in these stores at any given time. Each of the businesses are to clearly post the number of authorized occupants in plain view so that it can be seen by customers entering the store.
The order states that stores may designate a single point of entrance and a single point of exit and by counting customers as they arrive and leave. When the limit is reached, additional customers can be let into the store one-by-one as another customer departs.
The order also states that stores should implement a one person-one buggy/basket policy to help ensure that only one person per family enters the store to purchase essential items only.
The order tells stores that they should implement one-way movement through its aisles when possible to improve social distancing for customers.
As for 24-hour pharmacies in Iberia Parish, the order allows them to continue to operate after 8 p.m. with drive-thru services only.
Convenience stores will also be allowed to operate their fuel services after 8 p.m. for the purpose of servicing first responders, medical personnel and essential workers, the order states, but must cease those operations at 10 p.m.
Mechanic shops, tire stores, auto parts stores and lumber/hardware stores will also be allowed to remain open under the additional order. However, these shops should implement curbside and drop-off services when possible to limit person-to-person contact with customers. The same restrictions for grocery stores will apply to these stores as well under the order.
Golf courses will be allowed to remain open for golf play operations only, the order states. However, golf play must be accomplished by walking or allowing only one person per cart and social distancing must be observed.
According to the order, these new rules do no apply to banks and financial institutions. However, banks, financial institutions and loan closing agencies should utilize drive-thru systems and remote signing platforms whenever possible and maintain social distancing when possible.
The order allows residential, commercial and public works construction projects to proceed. But, the order urges contractors and subcontractors to provide hand washing facilities or hand sanitizer at the job site, insure that shared tools and equipment are properly sanitized, plan work in such a manner that fewer than 10 people are working in proximity to each other and make sure that social distancing is observed by all workers on the job site.
The additional order can be read in full below.
