Vice President Mike Pence visited Louisiana on Tuesday, which has reemerged as one of the nation’s hot spots for the coronavirus only months after signs pointed to a successful outbreak response.
The Republican vice president met with Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, members of the congressional delegation and health officials to discuss the pandemic.
The Vice president’s first stop was in Baton Rouge where he toured the State Emergency Operations Center and made remarks thanking the members of the center for their hard work in combating the coronavirus in Louisiana.
Pence told those in the center: “This is a serious time with rising cases across Louisiana and all across the Sunbelt.”
“Because of the seamless partnership with your governor and because of the extraordinary support that we’ve received from members of Congress, we have more resources today to deal with this pandemic than ever before,” he said.
One official he won’t see is Republican state Attorney General Jeff Landry, who announced Tuesday that he’s tested positive for the coronavirus and is in quarantine. Landry’s spokesman says the attorney general is showing no symptoms of COVID-19.
Louisiana’s confirmed caseload is growing fast, and its infection and hospitalization rates are surging, worrying public health experts in a state that previously seemed to be successfully flattening the curve of infections.
With infections surging again, the Democratic Edwards enacted a statewide mask mandate for people 8 and older that took effect Monday. He also returned bars to takeout and delivery only. Restaurants, casinos, gyms, salons and other businesses remain open, with occupancy restrictions.
Pence also plans a discussion at Louisiana State University’s Tiger Stadium, focused on fall college reopening plans and the future of university sports programs in the pandemic. LSU’s Tigers won the college football national championship title in January.
Republican Sen. John Kennedy, who was part of the congressional delegation with Pence emphasized the need to have schools in Louisiana reopen, saying, “I know people are scared and I know people are worried and they should be. But there’s a way to open the schools safely.”
Kennedy believes “children are not as susceptible” to the coronavirus and said, “I believe that keeping our public schools and our charter schools closed will hurt our kids far more than the coronavirus ever could.”
President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, have been pressuring schools to fully open in the fall, even going as far to threaten those that remain closed with the loss of some federal funds.
More than 3,300 Louisiana residents have died from COVID-19, according to the state health department. Louisiana again has moved into the top five states for new virus cases per capita in recent days, adding anywhere from 1,300 to 2,600 new confirmed cases daily.
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