Ahead of the holiday, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Health Department head Jennifer Avegno addressed the city on the matter of COVID regulations for businesses and requirements that patrons of bars and restaurants and venues provide proof of a COVID vaccination or negative test.
Speaking from City Hall the leaders said the COVID vaccination requirement and proof of vaccination or negative text would remain in place through the end of the year.
Taking to the air five minutes early, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell stated starting in January Orleans Parish children ages 5-to-11 will need to be vaccinated to be able to accompany their parents when they go out and, as mentioned by Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis during the press conference, to go to school.
One month later Children will also need to have two doses of COVID 19-vaccine.
Dr. Jennifer Avegno then addressed the city by saying COVID will be leading cause of death for the year 2021.
Avegno credits the actions of citizens to mitigate the disease; but warned that the Omicron variant is becoming the dominant variant of the disease.