City-issued vaccination and mask mandates will remain in effect at least through Mardi Gras, following the denial of a request asking the Louisiana Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order last month.
The decision, issued by the Supreme Court Feb. 10, denied the request, which came after a lawsuit challenging the city’s mandates and a subsequent expedited hearing.
“The court’s denial of the writ prior to a hearing is not a reflection on the likelihood of success on the merits. Under the circumstances, it was important to present the issue to the court as quickly as possible if only as groundwork for the final appeal,” attorney Jimmy Faircloth told the Louisiana Record.
This comes alongside more than 100 lawsuits against Mayor LaToya Cantrell, the New Orleans Health Department and New Orleans Health Department Director Dr. Jennifer Avengo last month. Among these, plaintiffs accused city health leaders of violating their constitutional rights with restrictions intended to curb the spread of COVID-19 across New Orleans.
The petition presented to the court describes the city’s decision as an “unlawful overreach.” According to the original complaint, plaintiffs state the decision to increase restrictions on individuals and businesses acts in contrast to the direction of COVID-19 to a milder variant, as well as the development of effective treatments and vaccinations.
Current mandates issued by Cantrell require masks in all indoor spaces outside of one’s home and mandate a full vaccination status or a negative COVID-19 test for all individuals over the age of five to access certain businesses. This includes restaurants, bars, breweries, indoor fitness facilities, indoor entertainment spaces and large outdoor events.