Mardi Gras 2022 is happening and locals and visitors may not have to wear masks to attend festivities but they will likely still have to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID test in order to go indoors to bars and restaurants or to attend sporting events, concerts or balls and extravaganzas, city spokesman Beau Tidwell said Tuesday.
Tidwell said the proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to have fun indoors will likely continue at least through spring.
“We’re going to have Mardi Gras, the mayor has said that,” Tidwell said. “Mardi Gras ’22 is happening, barring some completely catastrophic change in the numbers, Mardi Gras is happening. We want people to come and we want them to come safe, hopefully that means being vaccinated.”
Tidwell praised the city’s vaccination rate, which stands at 85.4 percent of eligible adults and the fact that the city hasn’t registered a COVID death in nearly two and a half weeks.
The city has had several major events, including two New Orleans Saints home games, some local concerts and a major outdoor parade in the Krewe of Boo.
The good news of a lack of any spike in COVID numbers after those events bodes well for events like Mardi Gras, and the spring festivals of French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest.
On a related Mardi Gras note, Tidwell said there was no firm answer on the possibility of changing parade routes due to a lack of police manpower. Tidwell said all of the krewes are being consulted and their requests to keep their routes are being considered.