New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell and the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas urged travelers flying through the MSY airport to get vaccinated before they take off.
“Travel is back. This past weekend we had the greatest number of travelers domestically,” said Mayorkas.
The two officials gave a press conference Thursday on the city’s partnership with Ochsner Health to hold a vaccination site inside Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The company has administered over 200 vaccination shots for COVID-19 inside the airport.
“We think that travel is safe,” said Mayorkas. “People are eager to see loved ones, to see friends, to enjoy the great sights of the country. To enjoy a beautiful city like New Orleans.”
Cantrell announced that half of New Orleans’ eligible population is now vaccinated. But Louisiana is faring much worse. Just over a third of the state’s population is vaccinated, which is well below the national average of 46.8 percent.
While variants of the COVID-19 virus have caused other states like California to enforce mask mandates at mass gatherings, New Orleans officials have not seen enough cases to raise concern.
Louis Armstrong Airport still requires travelers to wear a mask while inside the airport. The vaccinations at the airport are free.