On Monday, restaurants, bars, and other popular indoor venues in New Orleans will have to check patrons for proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test before seating them indoors.
While it will be tough to enforce, some restaurant owners support Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s citywide mandate.
Restaurateur Scot Craig owns two restaurants in New Orleans and one in Jefferson Parish.
Craig says he supports the mayor’s decision and he will have employees carding people at the door.
“That’s the law. That is what the mayor wants and I believe in following what she tells us what to do,” said Craig. “She has done a very good job of getting us through COVID in the past, and I just feel like we need to trust what she is doing. I just wish other parishes will get in line with it.”
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He admits this will be a burden, but with cases soaring, it's much better than a stay at home order.
“And I just hope people make it easy on us, because we are just trying to do our jobs. We are just trying to do what we were told to do,” said Craig.
The vaccination card mandate goes into effect on Monday August 16, however, the mayor’s office says it will give a grace period until August 23 before city inspectors begin enforcing the new mandate.