NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell will discuss possible changes to the city's COVID-19 restrictions on Thursday, as the omicron variant sparks fears of renewed virus outbreaks.
New Orleans' Communication Director Beau Tidwell said Cantrell will potentially make "some adjustments to the current guidelines."
Tidwell stressed that the city's current rules requiring proof of vaccination or a recent negative test to enter indoor businesses will remain in effect "at least through Mardi Gras."
Cantrell will be joined by city health department director Dr. Jennifer Avegno on Thursday at 4 p.m. to announce any changes and give an overview of the latest COVID-19 response going into the holidays.
The death toll from COVID-19 is approaching 800,000 in the U.S., bringing an end to an especially difficult year for the many families who lost loved ones during the pandemic.
Americans’ worries about infection are again on the rise, but fewer say that they are regularly wearing masks or isolating compared with the beginning of the year. A new poll conducted by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that 36% of Americans now say they are very or extremely worried that they or a member of their family will be infected with the virus, up from 25% in late October.
An analysis of data from South Africa shows the omicron variant appears to cause less severe disease than previous coronavrius versions, and the Pfizer vaccine seems to offer less defense against infection from it but still good protection against hospitalization. The findings released Tuesday have not been peer-reviewed, but they line up with other early data about omicron. Some experts cautioned it’s too soon to draw conclusions about outcomes from omicron.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.