Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards Extends Mask Mandate Another Month

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) extended the statewide mask mandate on Tuesday yet again, declaring “masks have been proven to help slow the spread” of the Chinese coronavirus.

The Democrat governor initially implemented the indoor mask mandate, which applies to those five and older, on August 4. It was originally set to expire on September 1, but the governor extended the rule until September 29. Then, the day before it was set to expire, he extended yet another month. Now it will remain in place until “at least” October 27:

I am extending Louisiana’s statewide indoor mask mandate for another four weeks as the state’s overall COVID-19 outlook improves following the state’s worst surge of the entire pandemic. The statewide mask mandate includes K-12 schools and college campuses. #lagov pic.twitter.com/fRWFFUY8wS

— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) September 28, 2021

“There is no doubt that our COVID-19 situation in Louisiana has improved since the peak of our fourth surge, which was largely driven by the Delta variant, and for that I am deeply grateful,” Edwards said in a statement, lamenting the “incredibly high” cases per capita — 243 for every 100,000 individuals.

Edwards surmised the spread of the virus is “disproportionately driven by transmission in those five to 18 years old” — the primary reason for the extension.

“This is why to support continued decreases in COVID-19 hospitalizations, cases and deaths, I am extending Louisiana’s statewide indoor mask mandate for another four weeks, including in our K-12 schools and on college campuses,” the Democrat continued, proclaiming that masks have been “proven to help slow the spread of COVID-19,” citing federal data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) “showing that schools without masking requirements are 3.5 times more likely to have a COVID-19 outbreak than schools where children and staff members are masked.”

“We must do everything we can to protect ourselves and those around us who are vulnerable, including wearing masks indoors and getting the safe, effective and totally free COVID-19 vaccine,” he continued.

Under his rule, face coverings are “highly encouraged for those ages 2 to 4 as tolerated.”

A study from the University of Waterloo, which Breitbart News reported on last month, found that surgical and cloth masks do little to block exhaled aerosols:

“The results show that a standard surgical and three-ply cloth masks, which see current widespread use, filter at apparent efficiencies of only 12.4% and 9.8%, respectively,” the study concluded, noting that KN95 and N95 masks were far more effective at filtering out aerosols.

“Apparent efficiencies of 46.3% and 60.2% are found for KN95 and R95 masks, respectively, which are still notably lower than the verified 95% rated ideal efficiencies,” researchers continued in the data published last month prior to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reversing course, advising fully vaccinated individuals to wear masks if they are in high-risk areas.

According to the governor, over 45 percent of Louisianans are considered fully vaccinated, but he said it is simply “not enough.”

“Just over half of all people in Louisiana who are eligible for the vaccine are fully vaccinated,” Edwards said. “That’s why masking right now is important still.”