Las Vegas is bouncing back, fifteen months after the pandemic transformed Las Vegas from flamboyant spectacle to ghost town, Sin City is back.
Tourists are pouring in again and the gambling venue has hit an all-time high. The Las Vegas strip also has its first new Casino in a decade, and big concerts are also starting at the new stadium. Covid-19 appropriate protocols are still being followed in terms of the removal of plexiglass panels that separate gamblers at the poker and blackjack tables, so as to improve air ventilation. The world-famous buffets are also reopening.
Vise President Kamala Harris was set to visit the city on Saturday, for what the White House is calling the “America’s back together” tour, celebrating progress against the virus.
Las Vegas is bouncing back, but, that progress has been threatened. The state of Nevada saw the highest rate of Covid-19 cases in all of the country, the highly contagious delta variant is the most contagious and prevalent form of the virus in the state, and due to this, there is a rise in the rate of hospitalizations as well. This is adding urgency to the campaign to get more people vaccinated.
Even though there is a rise in cases here, people are not following covid-19 appropriate protocol such as the use of masks and sanitizers and physical distancing. Inside the casinos, fully required guests are not required to be wearing face masks, proof of vaccination is not required as well.
Las Vegas reopened completely, by lifting all restrictions on the 1st of June. State and local officials said that all the new cases and hospitalizations were that of unvaccinated people and the best way to attack the virus is by vaccinating people. Nevada had fully vaccinated 45% of those 12 and older, well below the nationwide level of 55% according to the CDC.
