![New Data Shows When Louisiana Can Ease COVID-19 Restrictions](https://townsquare.media/site/33/files/2020/04/GettyImages-1220678971.jpg?w=980&q=75)
New Data Shows When Louisiana Can Ease COVID-19 Restrictions
Everyone is anxiously awaiting for life to start returning back to normal. We know that this won't be all at once but rather a gradual reopening of things.
In Louisiana, our current stay-at-home order is in effect through April 30. Governor John Bel Edwards is scheduled to release Louisiana's plan going forward this upcoming Monday.
In his recent press conferences, Edwards has eluded that reopening businesses and lifting mitigation be gradual.
According to a study by the University of Washington, the state of Louisiana should likely not begin easing up on social distancing measures and beginning to reopen businesses until mid-to-late May. Specifically, their study suggests the week of May 18 - May 24.
Researchers say those are the dates we could start safely easing up on current social distancing policies as long as we have containment strategies well in place. This includes widely available testing, contact tracing, isolation when warranted and restrictions on big gatherings.
Edwards, however, has stated that Louisiana has not yet met the first threshold to beginning phase 1 of federal guidelines handed down so we can reopen the state.
READ MORE: See how some companies are changing their businesses to combat COVID-19
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