Las Vegas workers ordered to wear masks indoors as COVID-19 cases surge again
All Las Vegas employees who work indoors are now required to mask up again, as local officials try to contain the concerning upswing in COVID-19 cases related to the Delta variant. But the mandate stops short of requiring tourists to wear masks, for the time being.
Clark County commissioners adopted the mandate during an emergency meeting Tuesday as the desert city faced the prospect of another major disruption to its all-important tourism industry. As of midnight Wednesday, all workers indoors in a public space, such as a casino, must wear masks. The new mask requirement will remain in place until at least August 17.
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This comes just two months after Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak followed CDC guidance and said fully vaccinated people no longer had to wear masks indoors. It also comes just a few weeks after Sin City started to show signs of neon-soaked life as its casinos, shows and nightlife came roaring back to life after a devastating 15 months, including the opening of the Resorts World, the mega-complex that is the Strip's first new casino in 10 years.
But the comeback may get interrupted. There has been a rapid rise in cases nationwide in recent weeks as the highly contagious delta strain of the virus has run amok. Nevada saw 5,024 reported new cases in the past week, an alarming 51.8 percent jump. More than three-fourths of those cases are linked to the delta variant. Nevada ranks fifth among all U.S. states in terms of where coronavirus is spreading fastest on a per-person basis, according to USA Today.
This may be because visitors are not required to wear masks in Las Vegas and thousands have flooded indoors, many mask-free as TPG's Summer Hull recently discovered.
Related: Vegas is back, baby: From shows to slots, what it's like to visit Las Vegas right now
Elected officials in Vegas are worried that the coronavirus could shut down the city again, and send travelers and conventions to find another city.
“We’ve got to do something,” Commissioner Jim Gibson said.
However, commissioners decided not to impose a full mask mandate for everyone inside casinos, clubs and restaurants. Instead, they decided just to require indoor workers to wear masks and post signs across the city advising that everyone — whether they are fully vaccinated or not — should wear masks.
Related: Don't gamble on your safety; advice for staying safe in Vegas
Southern Nevada Health District Chief Medical Officer Cortland Lohff told the board that mandating everyone to wear masks rather than just workers would be more effective in battling the spread. The reason, he said, is because unvaccinated people will continue walking around without masks.
The Nevada Resort Association and Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce are in favor of a mask mandate. The Southern Nevada Health District last week recommended mask-wearing for vaccinated and unvaccinated people at crowded indoor public places. The district revised its mask policy as case rates and hospitalizations for COVID-19 continued to increase.
The seven-member commission will revisit the mask mandate at next month's meeting. If cases continue to spike, officials may have no choice but to expand the mask requirements to everyone on the Strip.
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Why We Chose It
It's hard to find a card that competes with the mile-long list of benefits that come with the Amex Business Platinum. While it's certainly not the card for the average consumer, a business owner with tons of expenses -- especially related to travel -- will find this card incredibly valuable. This card is similar to the consumer version that Amex offers, but with more business-oriented perks around statement credits and earning rates that are a better fit for business owners.Pros
- An up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every four to five years
- Up to $400 annual credit for eligible U.S. Dell purchases (enrollment required)
- Gold status at Marriott and Hilton hotels (enrollment required)
- Access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program and Hotel Collection
- Extended warranty protection
- International Airline Program and Cruise Privileges Program
Cons
- Steep annual fee
- Difficulty meeting $15,000 welcome offer for smaller businesses
- Limited high-bonus categories outside of travel
- The Points Guy Exclusive Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
- Unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for checked baggage fees, lounge day passes, and more at one selected airline.
- $189 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $189 back per year on your CLEAR® membership. CLEAR® is available at more than 50 U.S. airports and stadiums.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more lounge location options than any other credit card on the market as of 9/2021.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.