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NEW ORLEANS–As anxiety grows nationwide regarding the economic disaster of the pandemic, a number of New Orleans businessmen took out a full-page ad in Sunday’s Times-Picayune, urging Mayor Latoya Cantrell to reopen the city’s economy sooner than her May 15th projected start date. At her daily press briefing, the mayor spoke to that letter today.

Cantrell said, “I will not be bullied in making decisions that are the best, and are in the best interests of the citizens of the city of New Orleans. And I do not need any permission, in terms of anyone, for doing my job. And I’m going to do my job to the best of my ability, again as I have demonstrated.”

Full page ad urging Mayor Latoya Cantrell to open the city’s economy (Susan Roesgen)

Cantrell continued, “We cannot fall into any false narratives when it comes to the public health of our citizens, and there is no economy without public health.”

Also at today’s press briefing, the city’s health director, Dr. Jennifer Avegno, also revealed that COVID-19 has become the leading cause of death in New Orleans.