Festival International de Louisiane organizers will take more time to decide how to respond to concerns about the impact of novel coronavirus on the event, opting to wait for more information and planning precautions that would ensure a safe event.

The organizers will have a press conference regarding coronavirus next week but until then, they're making adjustments.

With nearly 40 days until the five-day long event scheduled to begin April 22, leaders of the organization running Festival said they are communicating with public health officials, monitoring the situation and preparing for the event.

As other event organizers announce cancellations or rescheduling, Festival can take the coming days and weeks to weigh pros and cons as the coronavirus progresses, festival director Scott Feehan said.

Feehan said the organization is taking a look at onsite challenges and international issues. They are planning on implementing hand washing stations and hand sanitizer throughout festival grounds, among other precautions.

"We're citizens also," he said. "We have families here too, we also want to keep the community safe."

Feehan said he is "tuning out the noise" now of other events canceling or rescheduling. He said he realizes other events, such as South by Southwest, a film and music festival in Austin, Texas, are pressured by other factors, such as earlier events and where people are traveling from.

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The organization is taking into consideration what Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Louisiana Department of Health are suggesting.

They are also mapping out where musicians are coming from and traveling through. 47SOUL, a Palestine and Jordan based band, has been removed from the music lineup. The groups flight was scheduled to pass through Israel, which has a 14-day at home quarantine requirement.

On Wedneday, President Trump announced a 30-day suspension of most travel from Europe, possibly effecting bands coming to Festival.

Cancelling Festival International is not as simple as one case of coronavirus surfacing in Lafayette, Feehan said. In order for the event to be canceled, it would take an agreement between the organization, the city, and the state.

Organizers are "cautiously optimistic: that the situation will actually improve between now and the end of April. Everyone is hoping the virus will start to decrease as temperatures get hotter.

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They are also keeping tabs on what information the World Health Organization releases. Feehan pointed out that of the 114 countries with coronavirus cases, 90 percent are in four countries, according to the World Health Organization.

Feehan said he is not taking the situation lightly and that the organization does not have their "head in the sand," and is not is pressing forward regardless of risks or events.

"The decisions being made are for everyone," he said. "We're all concerned. We're all in this together. Protect yourself, no matter what you do."

Weekly statements regarding coronavirus will be made on the Festival International website, festivalinternational.org, Feehan said.

Contact Victoria Dodge at vdodge@theadvertiser.com or on Twitter @Victoria_Dodge