Louisiana is going back to a modified version of Phase 2, Governor John Bel Edwards announced yesterday. The revised Phase 2 will have some modifications, so it will not look exactly like Phase 2 did over the summer, but it will be more restrictive than the current Phase 3. The order will expire Dec. 23, however, the restrictions could be extended.
The governor also says there’s light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a vaccine for COVID-19. Gov. Edwards believes some people could get the first doses of a vaccine by as early as mid-December, however, he does not believe the state is moving quickly enough in the right direction to solve the more immediate issues, like hospital capacity. Edwards expects Louisiana to receive between 30,000 to 60,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine by the middle of December. In Louisiana, the first priority for a vaccine will be health care workers, then to high-risk groups, like seniors who live in nursing homes, assisted living centers, and people who live in community congregate settings.