The citywide vaccine mandate, one of the first in the United States, will take effect Monday and enforcement will begin Aug. 23. It comes amid a Louisiana surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations driven by the highly transmissible delta variant and the state’s low vaccination rate.
“We’re here today because we really have no choice. The situation is dire and we are simply out of time,” Cantrell said at a news conference.
The requirement covers anyone currently eligible for the vaccines. In addition to eating and drinking establishments and the Saints’ upcoming preseason games at the Superdome, the rule will be enforced at fitness centers, casinos, strip clubs and race tracks, as well as events at the Smoothie King Center.
It also covers outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people if the total attendance is greater than 50% of the venue’s capacity. Masks will continue to be required indoors.
A vaccination card from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or digital pictures of the card’s front and back are acceptable forms of proof, as is a card in the LA Wallet smartphone app or the equivalent app provided by other states.
The measures are aimed at stemming a ferocious COVID-19 outbreak that has pushed the New Orleans area’s healthcare system toward to its breaking point. In recent weeks, hospitals in New Orleans and across the state have been overwhelmed by coronavirus patients – almost all unvaccinated – seeking treatment. Infections have skyrocketed, as have the number of people who have died from the virus.
Cantrell said enforcement will be “aggressive” but that details are still being worked out. She said business owners with whom she’s spoken are largely supportive, although they wanted a longer grace period.
The vaccine mandate will make New Orleans the only city in the South and one of the few in the U.S. to require private businesses to check for vaccines. New York City and San Francisco both announced mandates in recent days, and Los Angeles officials have started drafting a vaccine mandate law.
The first Saints home game is a preseason contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 23, when the city is set to begin enforcement. The club said “fans will simply need to” comply with the new rules. The team will partner with Ochsner Health System to provide free vaccination shots outside the Superdome during home games.
