As expected, Mayor LaToya Cantrell on Tuesday (May 12) announced the guidelines for the first phase of reopening of New Orleans as the city nears the end of the current stay home mandate. And as indicated, New Orleans’ guidelines, though similar, are stricter in some ways than those set by the state.
In a statement announcing the guidelines, city officials said that contrasts between the state and city guidelines “were done with public health and safety as our guiding principles and made “in accordance with the Governor’s acknowledgment that parishes must develop their own guidelines.”
“We have been very intentional and have shaped these guidelines based on the data, as you’ve heard me say repeatedly, and based on science. We have gotten to this milestone because of the sacrifices our people have made. You took this seriously, you paid attention, and it mattered,” said Mayor Cantrell. “We are seeing a reason for hope in the critical milestones that we are looking at.”
One of the starkest differences between guidelines set forth by the city of New Orleans and those outlined by state of Louisiana is the continued closure of casinos and video poker establishments during the first phase of reopening in New Orleans.
Also under the guidelines set forth by Mayor Cantrell during the Tuesday press conference businesses such as restaurants with table service, beauty salons and barber shops, museums, zoos and aquariums should use a reservation or appointment system to log the name and phone number of customers—a proposal made by Mayor Cantrell in earlier discussions about the city’s reopening and one that has come under fire by those concerned about privacy issues.
Tuesday, Mayor Cantrell rebuffed concerns that customers at certain businesses would be inconvenienced or forced to submit to undue scrutiny by this measure.
“It’s nothing more than a reservation,” she said. “A name and a phone number—that’s what it is. Restaurants have been taking reservations since forever.”
It is also a measure that city officials say will be integral in assisting with contact tracing, the process of determining who a COVID-positive resident has come in close contact with in order to ensure that those individuals learn they may have been exposed to coronavirus and take necessary steps to mitigate the spread of the disease.
In New Orleans, Phase One will begin 6 a.m. Saturday, May 16. Despite the phased reopening, officials are still urging seniors and people with serious medical conditions to continue to stay home, mandating that everyone to wear a face covering in public, and urging residents to continue to practice social distancing.
Mayor Cantrell said business owners will be responsible for ensure that both their employees and patrons were masks.
“We have been very intentional and have shaped these guidelines based on the data, as you’ve heard me say repeatedly, and based on science. We have gotten to this milestone because of the sacrifices our people have made. You took this seriously, you paid attention, and it mattered,” said Mayor Cantrell. “We are seeing a reason for hope in the critical milestones that we are looking at.”
City officials also warn that a spike in cases will signal a return to strict stay home measures.
“Because of the ‘Stay Home’ mandate and the real sacrifices that all of our residents have made, we have been able to meet the milestones necessary to move into Phase One of our safe but phased reopening plan,” said Health Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno. “But, we are very closely monitoring and will continue to monitor the situation and must be prepared to reinstate restrictions if needed, if the trends go in an unfavorable direction. Remember how quickly our cases came, and how close we came to being overwhelmed.”
And Mayor Cantrell says the order that ushers in the first phase of city’s reopening does not have an expiration date.
“You will not see a date on the next order,” she said. “We will move through this as the data shows us additional changes (are warranted).”
City Councilman-at-large Jason Williams thanked Mayor Cantrell for her leadership and the people of New Orleans for their efforts at slowing the spread of COVID-19 by following the stay home order and taking other precautions, while also suggesting that just because the city has eased restrictions does not mean every business should open or resident in New Orleans should go out just yet.
“Just because you can do something does not mean you need to do something,” Williams said Tuesday. “I can tell you my 73-year-old mother will follow the same protocol she followed two weeks ago.”
Operations Allowed in Phase One
Shopping malls and retail stores with exterior entrances, restaurants, bars with state food permits, churches, beauty salons and barber shops, zoos, aquariums, museums, libraries and childcare facilities are among the businesses that will be allowed to reopen in Phase One with some conditions.
In the first phase of reopening, businesses can only operate at 25 percent of their permitted capacity. For indoor seating, restaurants must arrange tables so that individual parties are six feet apart. In New Orleans specific guidelines, restaurants should not serve any alcoholic beverage to a patron who is not also purchasing food and cannot allow patrons to play video poker machines. In the case of beauty salons and barber shops, services are by appointment only, chairs must be six feet apart, gloves must be worn and changed between customers.
Churches and movie theaters are also limited to 25 percent of permitted occupancy or 100 people, whichever is fewer. And because of social distancing guidelines, church choirs are still not permitted.
Childcare facilities, schools and extracurricular programs can resume with a limit of 10 people per group, meaning one adult for every nine children in these programs.
Gyms and fitness centers can open at a 25 percent of their capacity, but no contact sports or group fitness classes are allowed and the use of locker rooms, showers, saunas and spas are also prohibited.
For a complete overview of what businesses and institutions can reopen on May 16 and the guidelines under which they can reopen, click here.
To reach Phase One of reopening, the city made progress made in reaching several key milestones, including a steady decline in cases, increased testing capacity, health care capacity and contact tracing capabilities.
Dr. Avegno says the New Orleans Health Department stands ready to assist the state with contact tracing. Still like other communities across Louisiana, New Orleans will be relying heavily on the contact tracing system developed by the state. Some 250 contact tracers are expected to be in place and working by May 17. Mayor Cantrell says one of the state’s contact tracing call centers will be located in New Orleans. In all, Gov. John Bel Edwards has said Louisiana expects to hire as many as 700 contract tracers.
To see the Mayor’s press conference, click here.
For complete information and guidance on safely reopening New Orleans, click here.
Businesses and organizations in Orleans Parish are required to register with the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office at OpenSafely.la.gov.
