Beginning Friday, public and private gatherings in New Orleans can accommodate up to 150 people indoors and up to 250 people outdoors, according to a city press release sent Wednesday.
Indoor sports complexes will be permitted to open at up to 25 percent standing capacity, the press release also said. Non-athletic events inside sports venues or recreational facilities will require special events permits.
The increase in gathering sizes from 75 people indoors and 150 people outdoors comes as the city’s COVID-19 test percent positivity rate continues to drop. The Louisiana Department of Health reported today that the rate for Orleans Parish is 0.7 percent and more than 34 percent of New Orleans residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines.