With Carnival over, New Orleans dropping COVID-19 mandates

New Orleans will drop multiple COVID-19 restrictions as Carnival season, which attracts revelers from around the country, comes to an end. 

In a statement on Wednesday, the New Orleans Health Department said the city’s indoor mask mandate will be lifted on Thursday, and it will also lift its vaccine mandate for city venues later this month. 

New Orleans has been requiring residents and tourists to show proof of vaccination since last August, and re-implemented its mask mandate in January amid a surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the state, according to The Associated Press.

Health Department Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno noted that the city’s proof of vaccination requirement will end on March 21 if the city’s hospitalizations rates remain stable.

“The greatest benefit of masking to our community has been during these past few weeks of repeated large crowded activities, particularly indoors,” Avegno said. “And the threat from those events has now significantly lessened as we enter into Lent and leave Carnival behind.”

Avegno also said city officials strongly support residents who choose to continue to wear masks, as well as businesses that continue to require them, adding that officials will still monitor the virus date in the coming weeks, the AP reported. 

Nine U.S. states have lifted their mask mandates in recent weeks, also citing the recent decrease of COVID-19 cases. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its masking recommendation for most Americans last week.

New Orleans recently wrapped up its Carnival season with its massive Mardi Gras celebration last week, the AP noted. 

Nearly 96 percent of New Orleans adults residents are vaccinated against the virus, and 85 percent of residents are fully vaccinated.