This Monday, the City of New Orleans confirmed that the vaccine mandate to enter certain establishments was lifted. Locals and tourists will no longer be required to show proof of vaccination or a COVID test (antigen or PCR) to enter bars, restaurants, and event spaces.
Mayor LaToya issued a statement: “This is a critical and welcome milestone. I am deeply grateful to our entire community — our residents, our business owners, and our hospitality industry — for coming together to make this day possible. It could not have happened without our people taking the guidelines seriously and helping us not only flatten the curve — but emerge from the pandemic as a safe destination city. With the return of Mardi Gras this year, we were able to celebrate safely. And now we are ready for this next step. We will continue to closely monitor the data and remain guided by science”.
The news comes only one week before one of the most awaited art and music festivals starts. The Buku Festival is scheduled for this weekend, and it is expected to attract thousands of tourists to the Big Easy.
This Tuesday marks three weeks since Mardi Gras Day, and luckily, reported cases are at low levels while hospital capacity is high.
The city took advantage of the opportunity to ask all New Orleanians to get vaccinated if they haven’t already done so, including booster shots.
Featured image by Scott Colesby from Shutterstock.