Revelers take a selfie while celebrating New Year’s Eve on the Las Vegas Strip Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020.
Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021 | 6:15 p.m.
State public health officials again cautioned those gathering for crowded New Year’s Eve celebrations across Nevada to adhere to local COVID-19 mitigation guidelines to stem spread of the disease as the omicron variant secures its foothold as the dominant strain.
The Southern Nevada Health District on Thursday reported 2,366 new coronavirus cases and 10 new deaths in Clark County, as cases continue to trend upward. The pandemic thus far has infected 366,051 and has killed 6,461 in the county, according to state data.
DuAne L. Young, policy director for Gov. Steve Sisolak, said the governor’s office is asking the expected 300,000 Nevadans and tourists visiting the Las Vegas Strip for New Year’s Eve to mask up, regardless of vaccination status, both indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces.
“It’s not business as usual in Nevada,” Young said. “Normally, with past New Year’s Eve celebrations, it would be a much bigger gathering than what we’re expecting.
“We are a world-class destination for travel, and we have been preparing for this for months by pushing (masks and vaccines) and mitigation efforts.”
That’s in contrast to several other major cities around the world canceling their New Year’s celebrations.
It also contradicts comments made by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, who said Wednesday that “we have to get back the best we can to having normal lives,” and encouraged revelers to only wear a mask outside if that is what they’re comfortable with.
Both, however, reiterated that no matter what somebody’s holiday plans are, that if you are feeling sick — stay home.
“We’ve worked with the (Nevada) Gaming Control Board, who have, in turn, worked with our casino and our Strip partners to say certainly if you’re outside you don’t need your mask on,” Young said. “But if you’re in a big crowd outside, it’s the same as being indoors. You need to put your mask on. It’s about being in proximity to people.”
The Times Square celebration in New York City, like Las Vegas, will continue after the pandemic halted plans last year. CNN reports that other major U.S. cities, like Atlanta, and other international cities have opted to shelve their celebrations for yet another year.
Several major cities from across the globe have also opted to not hold gatherings to ring in the new year. Across Europe, nations such as France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have announced a new round of pandemic restrictions and closures of nonessential businesses, according to the Associated Press.
In Nevada, the focus of government and public health officials will be to remain open as much as possible, Young said. And even as coronavirus cases continue to spike locally, the Sisolak administration will ramp up testing efforts, as well as continue to urge Nevadans to get their vaccine or booster shot.
“In order for us to protect both lives and livelihood we have to work together in a partnership, and we have to be mindful to take care of each other,” Young said. “But we also have to keep our economy going because people's lives and livelihoods depend on it. And so we have to balance the two. And we can, if we’re safe, we’re smart, and we use all the precautions in place such as masks, vaccinations and boosters.“
