BATON ROUGE – The governor issued a statewide stay at home order.  The order is now in place after starting at 5 p.m. Monday, March 23.

CLICK HERE to read the order from the governor’s office. 

The order could expire at the end of the night on Sunday, April 12, but may be extended.  It does not include a curfew. 

The governor said at a news conference a week after the order was announced, he may be forced to extended the order based on the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.  He said Sunday (March 29), the state will re-evaluate the order closer to Sunday, April 12. 

Click HERE to read the order.

Click HERE for patient stats and other health information.

Click HERE for live video breaking news reports from WBRZ and WBRZ Plus.

Business owners and managers: Click here for the federal order explaining certain functions and what may or may not remain open

Click HERE for a government chart and more FAQs

For businesses, the order limits the following examples:

Places of public amusement, whether indoors or outdoors – amusement rides, carnivals, water parks, aquariums, zoos, museums, arcades, children’s play centers, playgrounds, theme parks, theaters, concert and similar venues, adult entertainment places, racetracks and other like businesses.

Barber shops, spas, salons, massage parlors, tattoo businesses, similar businesses.

Indoor malls (except for stores in a mall that have a direct outdoor entrance and exit that provide essential services and products as provided by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guidelines)

Businesses closed to the public can conduct necessary activities without opening to customers.  Activities include payroll, cleaning, maintenance or upkeep.

Businesses should see if operations adhere to the the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guidelines posted HERE for more information.

Some businesses not ordered to temporarily close must have minimum contact with members of the public and essential employees should use proper distancing and adhere to the 10-person gathering limit on number of people involved in a closed area.

Child care and early learning centers should adhere to guidelines issued by the state education department and may continue to operate, the order allowed.

State offices are closed to the public.

Workforce functions allowed:

Healthcare workers and caregivers

Mental health and social service workers

Pharmacies

Grocery stores and workers involved with supporting operations from pharmacies and other food and beverage products.

Restaurants operating under the previous carry-out and take-out or delivery rules.

Electricity and utilities

Critical manufacturing and its employees ((medical supply chains, energy, transportation, food, chemicals)

Farm workers

Petroleum, natural and propane gas workers

Transportation and logistics workers

Communications and information technology operations and its employees

Financial, banking operations and its employees

Business managers should consult the federal reference material posted here. 

The Department of Health has issued new guidance limiting all surgeries unless the procedure is for the treatment of a medical emergency or life-saving measures.

The effort is a move to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus.  Click HERE for the latest patient information in Louisiana. 

Click HERE for late-breaking live reports related to the virus in Louisiana.