Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards today (March 16, 2020) ordered bars to close and restaurants to suspend dine-in service.

According to a report from WWL:

• Gatherings are limited to no more than 50 people.
• Casinos and bars will be closed.
• Restaurants will be closed to patrons eating on site. Take-out, drive-through and delivery orders are allowed.
• Movie theaters will be closed.

The measures will be in effect until April 13. Edwards said the situation will be re-evaluated on April 6.

Source: https://www.wwltv.com/mobile/article/news/health/coronavirus/governor-closing-bars-movie-theaters-restaurants-take-out-only/289-6cb52106-90a8-4863-90b6-a037f6f2c602

Original post follows:

Last night (March 15), the Mayor of the City of New Orleans LaToya Cantrell announced new guidelines by which restaurants, bars and nightclubs must adhere as the ongoing coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten daily life.

Established in partnership with the city’s hospitality industry, the guidelines must be enacted immediately and “will be enforced.”

The new guidelines, as reported by WDSU, are a follows:

-All full-service restaurants with seating cease operations at 9 p.m. daily. Further they will work to limit their seating capacity for social distancing whether it is removing tables/chairs or using a checkerboard type seating pattern to provide more guest spacing. The goal is to reduce seating by up to 50 percent. Employers will continue to monitor employees and ask employees to regularly take their own temperature. As supplies allow, employers will also assist. This goes for beverage/bar servers. Employers will continue to post signs for enhanced cleaning processes and how to maintain good health.
-Once the dining room closes, a restaurant can still offer delivery until its usual closing time.
-The quick-service or fast-casual establishments can only offer “drive-thru” service but can be extended to 24 hours if they so choose.
-Bars and nightclubs will cease service at 12 a.m. daily. They will limit their capacity to up to 50 percent of posted patron limit. Last call will be at 11:15 pm. Everyone must be out and headed home by 12 am.
-Hotel operations will adhere to above operating times for their restaurants and bar operations as well as limiting capacity.
-Operators will post notice to patrons that when they depart to please consider returning home.
-Operators will not allow gathering for waiting for seating, or access purposes. They will implement use of text messaging to advise if the table is ready.
-Operators will encourage no public gatherings in any area.
-Once patrons exit the premises of restaurants or bars, they may not loiter in the street or congregate in groups outside. This will be enforced city-wide.
-Tour groups will be limited to groups of no more than seven (7) at a time.

Click here for an ongoing list of events and festivals canceled or postponed due to the public health crisis.