Posted: Jul 2, 2021 11:55 am
Last updated: July 3, 2021, 7:17 am.
Steve Bittenbender
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Weeks after Las Vegas fully reopened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourist destination has become a hotspot for the Delta variant. That’s a strain of coronavirus that scientists say is significantly more transmissible than the original virus. However, it doesn’t appear that Nevada officials will consider reintroducing restrictions on businesses, including casinos, anytime soon.
Nevada’s Governor Steve Sisolak (second from left) attends the grand opening of Resort World Las Vegas on June 25th. This week he called for federal support as the state tries to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19. In recent weeks, the city has become a hot spot for the more transferable Delta variant. (Image: KSNV-TV)
The first push is to increase the number of vaccinated residents. This is because that rate has dropped significantly from its peak almost three months ago. Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak called for federal aid Thursday to help the state address these efforts.
According to the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine’s Coronavirus Resource Center, 39.6 percent of Nevada’s residents are fully vaccinated. It ranks 34th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia and is well below the national average of 47.5 percent.
During the same period, business in Las Vegas was booming – especially along the Strip. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported that nearly 2.9 million people came to Sin City in May. This is the third month in a row that the city has topped the 2 million visitor mark.
It was no coincidence that the Nevada Gaming Control Board reported that casinos nationwide won more than $ 1.2 billion in May, breaking a nearly 14-year-old sales record of about $ 60 million. Las Vegas and other Clark County casinos accounted for more than $ 1 billion.
Nevada COVID-19 cases are rising again
Now, however, that combination of booming tourism and a more contagious virus is popping up on the state’s daily COVID-19 reports.
On Friday, the state’s 14-day positivity rate was 6.2 percent, the highest since March 7. On Friday, the state reported 390 confirmed hospital admissions for COVID-19, the highest total since February 28.
The data shows that most cases occur in the southern Nevada region, the center of population for the state. This prompted Sisolak to call the White House for help to mobilize a “surge team” to help with the government’s Get-Out-the-Vaccine initiative.
“My office works around the clock with government agencies and local partners to coordinate robust vaccination efforts, including, but not limited to, setting up more vaccination and testing sites, organizing get-out-the-vaccine activities across the valley , and developing a vaccination program in the workplace, ”Sisolak said in a statement. “This additional support from our federal partners is necessary to support our public relations work and to meet the needs of the communities in southern Nevada.”
What is the Delta variant?
According to the World Health Organization, the Delta variant originated in India, with the first cases being documented in October. Because of its portability, it is one of four “worrying variants” according to the WHO. Experts say the Delta variant is up to 60 percent more transmissible than the UK-derived alpha variant, which is itself believed to be up to 80 percent more transmissible than the original coronavirus.
However, instead of asking companies to shut down or reduce capacity, Nevada officials and their colleagues in other states are again asking the unvaccinated to get their syringes. A UK health study a few weeks ago showed that two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 80 percent effective against the Delta variant and 88 percent effective against the Alpha variant.
However, questions remain as to whether the Delta variant and the offshoots that result from it are more deadly than other varieties.
Las Vegas casino staff among the most vaccinated
It is uncertain how many Las Vegas casino employees received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Two months ago, state gambling officials estimated that about half had at least started the vaccination process.
However, several casinos received almost a month before the official reopening on Jan.
On May 3, Wynn Resorts received NGCB approval to operate at full capacity after it was found that 88 percent of its workforce was vaccinated. A day later, The Cosmopolitan announced its state approval after it was revealed that 80 percent of workers were vaccinated.
On May 12, the Board of Directors approved the lifting of restrictions on arcades at MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Station Casinos hotels. None of these companies disclosed the vaccination percentage of their workforce.
The Culinary Workers Union Local 226, which represents 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno casinos, has held several events with arcade workers, bartenders, and other casino employees about the vaccines. This includes connecting workers with health professionals to answer questions and dispel myths.
Earlier this week, Bethany Khan, the union’s director of communications and digital strategy, told Casino.org that the workers’ organization continues to encourage hospitality workers to get vaccinated.
Vaccination is a critical step in fully reopening Las Vegas, getting workers back to work, protecting our families and helping our union stay strong, “said Khan.
On Thursday, Geoconda Argüello-Kline, the union’s secretary and treasurer, issued a statement saying 95 percent of people in the Las Vegas area hospitalized with COVID-19 were not vaccinated.
Additionally, she added that workers could take another step to protect themselves and others by continuing to wear face covers.
“Some employers still require workers to wear masks and others don’t,” said Argüello-Kline. “If workers want to keep wearing face masks at work, that’s their right and we will get it.”
