LAFAYETTE, La. — The Lafayette Consolidated Governement held its daily press briefing on Friday where officials gave the latest update on the response to COVID-19 in Lafayette Parish.
Lafayette-Mayor President Josh Guillory gave more clarification on the Safe Shop Policy that he announced on Thursday.
Guillory said that he had gotten confirmation from the governor's office that the policy was consistent with the Stay At Home Order, which is set to expire on April 30.
He also clarified that while the Safe Shop Policy requires that employees of "gray area" businesses to wear mask in order to operate, it does not apply to Big Box stores that fall under the "essential businesses" list outline in the Stay At Home Order. He also encouraged residents to wear masks whenever they go out to shop.
Guillory further clarified that the 25% capacity of a business's building also includes employees and staff as well as customers.
Guillory also explicitly stated that the new policy does not change anything with respect to bars, restaurants, hair salons or churches as outlined in the governor's order.
Guillory also said that LCG and LEDA were working on a mechanism for local businesses to get masks to open under the policy if they did not already have them.
LCG Chief of Minority Affairs Carlos Harvin also spoke of several testing sites that have been established now that the Cajundome testing site has closed.
Carlos said that the SWLA Lafayette, located at 500 Patterson Road on the Northside of Lafayette, is now able to test for COVID-19.
Harvin said that there are also plans for a mobile testing site that can go around to different neighborhoods for those who are unable to travel to other sites.
A list of COVID-19 testing sites can be found at 311lafayette.services and cliking on the "COVID-19 Updates & Information" tab.
You can watch the press conference below.
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