New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced she is reinstating a citywide indoor mask mandate, regardless of vaccination.
The citywide indoor mask mandate goes in effect Friday, July 30.
Mayor Cantrell made the announcement Friday evening, just 45-minutes after the end of Governor John Bel Edwards's COVID-19 media conference where he is considering whether or not to reinstate a statewide mask mandate.
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The city of New Orleans issued a statement reading in part:
In order to quickly curb the dangerous and rapid spread of the Delta variant, an indoor mask mandate will be in effect immediately in Orleans Parish. Everyone, regardless of their vaccination status, should wear a mask indoors when with people who are not members of their immediate household.
Additionally, Mayor Cantrell announced that COVID-19 vaccines will be mandated for City of New Orleans employees and contractors who work for the City. Contractors have been notified and more information about how to prove vaccination status or access a vaccine will be made available to employees early next week.
As of Friday, there have been 35,115 COVID-19 cases and 814 deaths in Orleans Parish, with 1,000 new COVID cases in the city just last week, according to the mayor.
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“From two weeks old…to three years old... to four years old, you cannot make this up. Our children are dying,” said Cantrell.
“Today I’m issuing a mandatory mask-up NOLA,” Cantrell said at her media conference on Friday.
“All of our people need to mask when they are indoors… and what we are saying now, is you really need that mask on, period…whether you are vaccinated…and of course, if you are unvaccinated.”
More information on the city of New Orleans indoor mask mandate can be found here.