Although there are no cases of Covid-19 so far, it's expected within the next couple of days, Lafayette officials announced today.
"As of this moment, we still have no presumptive positive cases in Lafayette Parish or Acadiana. However, based on best information available to us, we expect that situation to change significantly in the next 48 to 72 hours," Lafayette Mayor-President John Guillory said.
Plans are being made to provide testing sites in the parish, and should be finalized in the coming days, he said.
To prepare, all LCG buildings will be closed to the public, including City Hall, libraries and the parish Courthouse, Guillory said. Residents still will be able to pay bills via drive-thru, and also get books and AV materials via drive-thru, he said. City-Parish parks will be open, but any buildings at those parks are closed to the public.
During the press conference, Judge Marilyn Castle said the courthouse is not closed, but will have limited access. Castle issued an order on which matters will be postponed and which will go forward. To read that, click here. Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Louis Perret says that the courthouses in the 15th Judicial District - Lafayette, Vermilion and Acadia - will be open tomorrow.
Lafayette's government isn't shutting down, Gullory said.
"The buildings are closed, but the government remains open to serve you," Guillory said.
Guillory urged residents to follow the advice of the CDC to wash your hands frequently, practice social distancing and avoid crowds.
"And please do not enroll your children in camps or any other group activities while they are out of school," Guillory said.
Unfortunately, Guillory said officials are trying to save Festival but it doesn't look good.
"We're working very hard and every single thing that we can to make sure Festival comes to Lafayette, it would be great to do that. But every day, every briefing that goes by it's looking more and more likely that it's not going to happen. We are working with Festival to see what we can do," Guillory said.
Watch the presser here:
In it, he says he "will detail additional measures that will be put into place to combat the COVID-19 threat."
A release from Guillory's office says he plans to "announce additional closures to mitigate the spread of the virus and efforts to increase testing capacity throughout the parish."
See the Emergency Declaration signed by Mayor-President Guillory on Sunday, March 15, below.
