The City of New Orleans will not allow tailgating on public property during the season-opening Saints game this Sunday.
The restrictions apply to neutral grounds and areas underneath overpasses, city officials said at a press conference Friday morning.
Fans also won’t be allowed inside the Superdome during the Saints’ home game against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 27, just as they won’t be present for this weekend’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“We cannot let our guards down,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said of the timing of the restrictions. “This is not the time. This is the time to continue to be vigilant, do what is necessary, practice civic responsibility, and to move us through the impacts of this pandemic.”
New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) Superintendent Shaun Ferguson reminded residents to mind existing public safety guidelines meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus, such the limits on private gatherings, restaurant occupancy limitations, as well as social distancing expectations and masking guidelines.
Private gatherings are currently limited to 25 people for indoor spaces and 50 people for outdoor spaces. Restaurants remain limited to 50 percent capacity.
Ferguson also said law enforcement officers would remain on the lookout for pop-up second lines. He said officers will identify informal band leaders and “ask you to comply with Phase 2 guidelines.”
“In the health climate we’re in, these second lines are very dangerous. Not just for the people at risk of contracting COVID-19, but for the unsuspecting people you may be taking it home to.”
Cantrell announced Thursday that the city would remain in Phase 2 of its reopening plan, shortly after Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said the state would transition into Phase 3. Details on Phase 3 restrictions will be announced at a press conference at 2 p.m. Friday.
