BATON ROUGE- Louisiana will transition into phase two of the statewide reopening plan Friday, June 5, Governor John Bel Edwards announced Monday afternoon.

The state entered phase one on May 15, and in recent weeks, Governor Edwards has been optimistic about Louisiana's transition into phase two. This next phase is planned to last three weeks, like the first phase.

Here is what Phase 2 will look like come Friday according to @LouisianaGov pic.twitter.com/Y8TXwOXRHp

— Johnston von Springer (@johnstonvon) June 1, 2020

-Under the second phase, businesses that have been operating at 25% capacity for the past two weeks will be allowed to up their capacity to 50%, including restaurants and retailers.

-Bars will be able to operate at 25% capacity, Edwards says, being the first time bars without food permits will be allowed to operate since mid-March.

-Casinos will also be able to operate at 50% capacity with 75% of gaming positions if plans are approved by the Gaming Control Board.

-The second phase will additionally allow pool halls, tattoo parlors, bowling alleys, recreational pools, and spas to reopen with restrictions.

-Churches, casinos, retailers, shopping malls, and barbershops are asked to keep social distancing measures in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. 

-Businesses will also be encouraged to check the temperature of customers and require that all public-facing employees continue to wear masks.

-Sleepaway camps and amusement parks are among the businesses that will remain closed.

Gov. Edwards says Louisiana as a whole is headed in the right direction, however, some areas are doing better than others.

The city of New Orleans says it is not ready and will not make a decision whether or not to move into Phase Two for at least a week or more.

According to criteria detailed by the White House, for a state to enter phase two, its statistics must not give any evidence of a rebound in coronavirus infections and all data should satisfy the criteria to enter phase one a second time. 

Governor Edwards urges caution as the state transitions into phase two, warning that novel coronavirus is still a threat to the community.

For this reason, he and other state leaders have repeatedly asked residents to continue wearing face masks while in public and to practice physical distancing guidelines recommended by state and federal health officials.