NEWS
July 28, 2020
BRHD Encourages Compliance with Statewide Louisiana Mask Mandate
Wear a mask and do your part in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities
Following weeks of increases in COVID-19 cases, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a statewide mandate requiring nearly all residents to wear masks in public spaces. The mandate went into effect July 13.
The Baton Rouge Health District, which includes the major healthcare organizations in the capital city, urges residents to comply with this mandate and follow other medically inspired recommendations to reduce the spread of COVID-19. According to our health district partners, these other recommendations are:
Frequently washing your hands for 20 seconds or more
Sanitizing your hands
Social distance by maintaining a six-feet distance from others
Sneeze or cough into a tissue rather than into your mask or your hands
Self-quarantine if you have a fever of 100.4 >, sore throat or if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19.
The Baton Rouge Health District is a coalition of healthcare stakeholders made up of OLOL, BRG, Womans, Oschner, Mary Bird Perkins, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, BCBSLA and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. According to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Senior Medical Director, Dr. Dee Barfield, “The rise in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks has been alarming, but be assured that taking small steps like wearing a face mask, staying six feet apart from others and washing your hands frequently are effective at slowing the spread of novel coronavirus. Take these steps whenever you leave home to protect the health of those around you, and they should take the same steps to protect you.”
In addition to that, “Properly wearing a mask or face covering indoors protects others, protects you and, combined with hand hygiene and social distancing, slows down the spread of COVID-19,” said Edgardo Tenreiro, president and CEO of Baton Rouge General. “Our team members continue to put themselves at great risk to do their part to treat those who fall ill, and our hope is that you do your part too: mask up!”
Member of the health district have expressed support for Gov. John Bel Edwards mandate and have stated “We support the Governor’s mask mandate and strongly encourage residents to take steps every day to stop the spread,” said Catherine O’Neal, MD, chief medical officer at Our Lady of the Lake. “When we wear masks, practice social distancing, reduce the amount of people congregating in places such as restaurants, and reduce our socializing each week by 50 percent we each do our part to protect our family, friends and community.”