NEW ORLEANS — The city of New Orleans is dropping some of its strict Covid mitigation measures.
Since early January indoor spaces in the city, including bars and restaurants like Li’l Dizzy’s in Treme, have been required to ask customers to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test.
Patrons were also required to wear a mask when they weren’t eating or drinking.
Co-owner Arkesha Smith Baquet says it’s been tough, but most people complied completely with the mandates.
“I think we did the right thing,” Smith Baquet said. “We used the guidelines that were put in place. I think everybody followed that.”
City Health Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno announced the indoor public mask mandate will be lifted at 6 a.m. Thursday.
The timing coincides with a lessening of the Omicron risk and the end of the long Carnival celebration that brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Crescent City.
“The greatest benefit of masking to our community has been during these past few weeks of repeated, large, crowded activities, particularly indoors and the threat from those events has now significantly lessened as we enter into Lent and leave Carnival behind,” Avegno said.
If Covid transmission and hospitalizations remains low, the city’s vaccine or negative test requirement will be lifted on March 21.
“Since hospitalizations are such a critical part of evaluation and they generally lag infections by two to three weeks, it’s key to have this period to see just what effect Carnival truly had,” Avegno said.
Brittany Osazuwa from Washington. DC said the extra precautions made her feel more comfortable in the city.
“I appreciated the organizations and the restaurants putting forth the effort just to make sure that everybody stays safe and secure during a very crowded holiday,” Osazuwa added.
Dr. Avegno warns the virus is expected to stick around for quite some time.
“We do expect future wave of disease. The focus is now shifting to managing our outbreaks while preserving healthcare capacity.”
Back at Li’l Dizzies, Smith Baquet says with the mandates now expected to be lifted, it gives her hope things can return to normal, especially with a stellar list of major events this spring in New Orleans.
“French Quarter Fest, Jazz Fest which Dizzy’s will be there. So, we’re excited.”
For now, masks will still be required in New Orleans public schools and on public transportation and in health care facilities in the city.
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