Governor Edwards to Give COVID-19 Update at 3:30

Governor John Bel Edwards will be addressing the state of Louisiana today at 3:30. Following his daily meeting with the state's Unified Command Group, Edwards will provide an update on the state's response to COVID-19. You can watch the news conference below.

If you look at the Governor's Facebook page, it seems that he's been working hard for Louisiana residents. He's requested some temporary changes to federal programs:

Yesterday, I sent a letter to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence requesting temporary changes to several federal programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As this crisis advances, we are continuing to evaluate and assess the impacts of the disaster, and to foresee coming impacts. It is clear that we will need to provide assistance for businesses and their employees as a result of the necessary mitigation efforts we are putting in place.

We are working around the clock to stop the spread of COVID-19 so we can protect our people's health, as well as the jobs they depend on, but we still have far to go, and I am asking for the continued support of the federal government as we seek every available tool for this fight.

The Governor is also secured federal disaster funding to help out small businesses around the state.

Big news! More than 440,000 small businesses in all 64 Louisiana parishes will have access to federal Small Business Administration disaster aid in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. COVID-19 is a unique crisis affecting all walks of life, and that means Louisiana’s small business community will continue to be heavily impacted by disruptions to their operations.

We are pleased to work with SBA and the federal government in providing this critical working capital to our small business owners who are suffering from the necessary measures installed due to the Coronavirus. Our hope is that these SBA disaster loans will be an important part of sustaining their businesses and providing support to their employees who make up over half of Louisiana’s private-sector workforce.