Las Vegas has introduced a new mask mandate for employees who work in public indoor spaces.
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With concerns about the global variant of the COVID-19 delta, many travel destinations are starting to take precautions as cases increase.
Los Angeles recently reintroduced an inner mask policy, and New Orleans went almost as far with a mask recommendation.
Las Vegas followed suit this week by launching its own indoor mask mandate in response to rising COVID cases and some canceled conventions.
But this one comes with an odd twist: the mandate only applies to employees who work in public spaces, and it has no impact on visitors or casinos (which are privately owned).
The ordinance requires those who work in indoor public spaces across Clark County to wear face covering whether or not they are vaccinated.
The mandate came into effect yesterday and will remain in effect until it is reviewed on August 17th.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the decision came after a highly controversial meeting between officials, business owners and local residents discussing the increasing transmission rate of COVID-19.
A future reintroduction of a mask policy for visitors is not ruled out. In addition to the employee mask mandate, venues with a capacity of 250 or more must present a plan for next steps to stop the spread of the coronavirus by next week.
Destinations like Las Vegas obviously hope not to have to impose restrictions on visitors for fear of deterring them from coming. However, if cases continue to increase, stricter guidelines may be inevitable.
Of course, the decision to require employees to wear masks but not customers has puzzled some, and the rising number of cases in Nevada has resulted in some feeder markets, such as Chicago and Hawaii, requiring residents to visit Sin City before visiting to warn.
So far, it has been difficult for Las Vegas to balance economic recovery with safety and future business. Mask requirements can deter potential visitors, but they can also prevent the virus from spreading, make the destination safer, and keep business open – which is the main objective.
“Our companies have gone through a lot in the past 15 months,” said Mary Beth Sewald, executive director of the Vegas Chamber. “They had to close or significantly reduce their operations. Employees have been laid off or have completely lost their jobs. Some companies didn’t make it. We can’t go through that again. “
