Tonight at least two Lafayette City Council Members are calling for a public mask ordinance following a spike in COVID-19 cases in Lafayette Parish.
Mayor-President Josh Guillory does not support the idea.
Across the state, mask mandates are in effect in Orleans, Jefferson and East Baton Rouge Parishes and the city of Shreveport.
With Acadiana seeing a spike in cases over the past few months, some are questioning why not here?
Councilman Glenn Lazard questions if the council and Guillory Administration is doing everything in it's power to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Lazard believes it's time for the Mayor-President to issue a public masking policy.
"I think it's something long pas due considering the position we find ourselves in," Lazard said.
Councilwoman Nanette Cook echoed Lazard.
Cook said while masks will not get rid of COVID, it's an added layer of protection.
"We ask all the employees in businesses to wear a mask for eight hours. We're going into those stores and we're not in there eight hours. Do we like wearing them? No. I think it's something if we think about it as doing for others, not for ourselves. Let's slow the spread a little bit. It's worth a shot," Cook said.
Mayor-President Josh Guillory said Lafayette's COVID ranking is "not pleasant to look at" and called the situation significant.
"With freedom comes risk," Guillory said. "I care greatly about freedom. I would not be justified requiring a parish-wide mask order."
Lazard said, "You mentioned that we're in a war and we're in battle. It stands to reason that you would use every tool at your disposal to slow the spread."
Guillory closed by saying, "You don't want to use an atomic bomb when an M16 will work. I'm not a medical doctor. I try to listen to them. If I'm going to infringe on a liberty, it needs to be justified. I'm just not at that point."
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