John Locher / AP
Masked and unmasked pedestrians walk along the Las Vegas Strip, Tuesday, April 27, 2021, in Las Vegas.
Tuesday, April 27, 2021 | 6:03 p.m.
The state has given Clark County the green light on its local COVID-19 mitigation and enforcement plan for when the county assumes control Saturday of capacity and physical distancing restrictions.
State COVID-19 response director Caleb Cage notified the county Tuesday of the state approval.
“As chair of the COVID-19 Mitigation and Management Task Force, I would like to thank you and all of the Clark County stakeholders for the work invested to develop” your plan, Cage wrote in a letter to Clark County Manager Yolanda King. “Pursuant to Section 4 of Directive 041, the governor delegates authority to Clark County to manage COVID-19 mitigation measures, consistent with the county’s local plan and the remaining statewide directives.”
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The Clark County Commission approved the 42-page plan April 20 to increase capacity restrictions for public gatherings to 80% occupancy effective May 1 and reduce physical distance requirements from six to three feet. Additionally, businesses still closed, including nightclubs and adult entertainment, may reopen.
Commissioners agreed that capacity and social distancing requirements will be removed when 60% of the eligible population receives at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Masks will continue to be required, per state directive.
As of Tuesday, 46.5% of Clark County residents age 16 and older has received at least one shot. To reach the 60% threshold, 1,097,955 people out of an eligible population of 1.83 million would need to get at least one shot.
“Our community has been great so far about getting vaccinated,” said Clark County Commission Chairman Marilyn Kirkpatrick in a statement. “If everyone just keeps it up, we’ll get to open up the community 100%.”
Some of the other local changes due this weekend include expanding restaurant seating from six diners per table to 12, the return of self-serve buffets and food sampling, elevator capacity growing from four riders to eight, and the return of piercings and tattoos in and around the nose and mouth. Dance floors can reopen once the county hits the 60% mark.
Casinos remain under the purview of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, but state gaming regulators have already said Clark County gaming floors can also officially hit 80% capacity on Saturday.
