New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell might require people flying into the city for Mardi Gras, to show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test.
As The Times-Picayune | The Advocate reports, Cantrell said in an interview that she is eyeing health safety measures if parades are to roll this Carnival season.
Among those measures she is considering, one requires people flying into Louis Armstrong International Airport during the Mardi Gras season to show proof of vaccination or be tested for COVID-19.
Speaking after a Mardi Gras Advisory Taskforce meeting, Cantrell said, “Proof of a vaccination and/or proof of a negative test when you come to the city of New Orleans is something I’m thinking about because we will be opening ourselves up to the world.”
Cantrell says her administration is studying several COVID restriction models deployed in cities around the world.
"We have seen this at play over the past year in other cities and countries with these types of mandates," said Cantrell. "There are multiple models that we will look at to determine what is best suited for Mardi Gras."
Hundreds of thousands of people visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras each year, leaving many to wonder if such an implementation is even possible. While many visitors fly into New Orleans, the mayor did not give details for any visitors driving into the city or traveling by train.
Cantrell's administration already requires restaurants in the city to ask patrons to show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test.
