In response to the spread of COVID-19 in Louisiana, Mayor Sharon Weston Broome has signed executive orders to restrict city-parish employee travel until further notice and to prevent the shut off of water for residents.
During a news conference this afternoon, Broome reiterated that while the city-parish doesn’t have any confirmed cases of the coronavirus, the city-parish’s strategy will remain the same—acting proactively to slow down the spread of the virus in the community.
“Our strategy is reducing the spread of the virus so medical facilities can care for patients in an efficient way without being overwhelmed,” Broome says, adding that they will continue to encourage residents to have limited contact with one another. “If you are sick, isolate yourself from others in the community. Do not go to your doctor or hospital without calling ahead first.”
In addition to the two executive orders, Broome announced she also enacted an administrative regulation leave policy, which provided guidance for telework and other work arrangements for city-parish employees.
Commenting on the possible economic repercussions to local businesses from the COVID-19 related closures and event cancellations, Broome says she believes the community will bounce back quicker if right steps are taken now.
“I believe that we will recover from the economic repercussions of canceling the St. Patrick’s Day parade,” Broome says. “But I want to do everything we can to save lives.”
Broome also invited Adam Knapp, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, to speak on the impact that COVID-19 is having on the Baton Rouge business community. Knapp says his office has made preparations for remote work capabilities, self-quarantine and office closures if needed.
BRAC has also created a link on its website—brac.org/recovery—to share links with business preparation guidance from the CDC and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Knapp suggests that area employers should establish personal hygiene practices for all employees that are consistent with CDC guidance as well as establishing a written policy for self-quarantine or office closures. He adds that employers should review and update their employee travel and meeting policies.
To help the agency understand how area businesses are responding and being impacted by the spread of COVID-19, BRAC has launched a business survey on its website.
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