With cases of the dreaded Delta variant surging across the state, Nevada hotels and casinos are once again asking guests to wear masks in public places. The return of the mask mandate was ordered by Governor Steve Sisolak in an attempt to temper skyrocketing COVID-19 infections in Clark County and the rest of the Nevada.
The new mask mandate comes just two months after the original mask mandate was lifted and sixteen months after the original order was issued. While it’s unclear exactly what kind of impact this will have on Nevada casinos and their struggle to recover from lockdown, there’s no scenario where the return of a casino mask mandate is good news. Still, Nevada’s gaming industry is on board with the order.
In a statement reported on by Las Vegas Review-Journal, a spokesperson for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority voiced support for the measure saying, “We fully support the State of Nevada adopting the CDC’s recommendation to help minimize the spread of the virus to enable our local community and visitors to enjoy all of the offerings that make Las Vegas the entertainment capital of the world. We continue to advocate and encourage vaccinations as they remain the most effective solution to combating the virus.”
While casino operators support the mask mandate, it’s unlikely that all of their customers will be similarly enthusiastic. Bryan Wachter, Retail Association of Nevada’s senior vice president asked Nevada residents and visitors to take it easy on casino employees who are faced with the thankless job of enforcing the mask rules.
Across the board, casino operators and tourism officials are urging Nevada residents to get vaccinated so that life can return to something like “normal”. Currently, only about 44 percent of Nevada residents have been fully vaccinated.