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FILE - In this Sunday, March 22, 2020, file photo, street performer Eddie Webb looks around the nearly deserted French Quarter looking to make money in New Orleans. Like many cities around the country, New Orleans is currently under a shelter-in-place order as it grapples with a growing number of coronavirus cases. In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards has repeatedly sounded the alarm about how Louisiana has the third-highest rate of confirmed virus cases per capita while at the same time noting the difficulty of the small state getting supplies. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana’s governor tweaked a COVID-19 prevention order Thursday to allow alcoholic beverage sales in most of the state until 11 p.m.
The cutoff for on-premises consumption of alcohol had been 10 p.m. under orders issued last week. Edwards said in a news release he made the change after consulting with restaurant and hospitality leaders.
The order affects restaurants statewide, and bars in four parishes where the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests has been 5% or below for two weeks: Acadia, Jefferson Davis, St. Landry and Plaquemines.
The order does not affect New Orleans, which is keeping bars closed and continuing a 10 p.m. end to alcoholic beverage sales.
“I had a productive discussion this week with several restauranteurs and the Louisiana Restaurant Association and agreed that allowing the sale and service of alcohol until 11 p.m. for on premises consumption was a meaningful change we could make to the Phase 3 order to benefit restaurants that may have later service,” Edwards said. “To be consistent, my updated order will allow casinos and bars in parishes where they are allowed to be open to also serve alcohol for on-site consumption until 11 p.m. However, opened bars will still be required to close at 11 p.m.,”
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