Las Vegas is joining Los Angeles in reinstalling the mask mandate for being indoors. The Southern Nevada Health District recommended people wear masks in crowded indoor public places, including casinos, regardless of vaccination status. While we continue to monitor the situations around the world, we’re keeping track of how this will affect events. For now, more counties in California have followed the indoor mask mandate as well. These include Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma plus the city of Berkeley.
Using masks correctly is effective in preventing people from spreading COVID-19. Some told USA Today they don’t mind wearing masks. They’re doing it for their kids that aren’t yet vaccinated. Others would continue to wear it because it’s been the societal norm for the past year. According to the news outlet, masks are “a precaution for fully vaccinated people and ensure easy verification that all unvaccinated people are masked in those settings”. Daily cases continue to climb in both states, with 4,651 new cases in California and the delta variant being the dominant strain in Nevada.
More than half of Nevada’s eligible population is not vaccinated. 52% of California is. Epidemiologist, Brian Labus, says we have to try combatting the spread of the highly transmissible variant. We know the mask mandate is confusing for vaccinated people. Trying to keep society functioning without revolting is going to take some time.
“Our numbers are trending in the wrong direction. Our recommendations have to change to match what the virus is doing.”
Brian Labus
Travel to Las Vegas is high right now, and many people do not wear masks, in lieu of the guidance. Labus continues that health officials need to consider political and economic consequences before imposing restrictions or mask mandates. So far, Las Vegas Sands is having vaccinated and unvaccinated working staff wear masks in public indoor areas. But not for guests. MGM Resorts International is closely monitoring the situation but hasn’t changed its mask policy.
Right now, the changes happening in real-time could change again depending on vaccination rates and more data prevalent to the breakthrough infections. We need to understand the delta variant’s impact more on vaccine efficacy so that we know how to implementing re-masking.
