On the same afternoon that Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards held a news conference, making an emotional plea for everyone in the state to return to wearing masks and be vaccinated, the Governor's office also informed the media that two members of the Edwards staff have tested positive for COVID 19.

The official statement from the Governor's office said that both staffers had been vaccinated for the virus earlier this year. According to the release, both are currently isolating at home.

Here is the complete text of the news release:

"Two members of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ team have tested positive for COVID-19, the Governor’s office disclosed today. Both are at home in isolation, per guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Louisiana Department of Health.
The Governor’s office has a high rate of fully vaccinated staff, including these staffers who were vaccinated against COVID earlier this year. While breakthrough cases such as these do happen, they typically do not result in serious illness. The Governor’s Office practices all CDC and LDH-recommended COVID mitigation measures, including indoor masking, quarantine and isolation, and COVID testing after exposure."

Meanwhile, at his news conference Friday afternoon, the Governor addressed the rising COVID numbers, citing the Delta variant as the culprit in increased cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

Edwards said that Louisiana has been labeled a "state of concern" by the CDC and  he gave his most impassioned plea to date that residents in Louisiana "mask up and to get vaccinated."

The Governor added that the simplest and easiest way to make sure there are no more restrictions or mandates for Louisiana is for people to get vaccinated. "Run, don't walk to get vaccinated," he said.

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