CLARK County is poised to return to pre-pandemic life on June 1 after the county commission voted to lift the local COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings and capacity limits.
The move comes after the relaxation of federal and state guidelines on account of the nationwide distribution of the vaccines.
“Clark County will delete in its entirety the plan set and executed on May 1, 2021 and return to pre-pandemic guidelines. This means that restrictions involving capacity limits, large gatherings, dancing, etc. will no longer be in effect,” read the county’s statement released Wednesday, May 19.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week said that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks in most indoor settings.
“Fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local businesses and workplace guidance,” Clark County said in its statement.
However, masks must still be worn in hospitals and health care facilities, as well as planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States. Masks will also be required in transportation hubs such as airports and stations.
Officials attributed the lifting of the restrictions to the increasing vaccination rates, a low positivity rate, and normal hospitalization rates.
They assured that in the event that hospitalizations should rise, additional mitigation measures may be required for the protection of the community.
“Public safety has been our priority from the beginning of the pandemic in accordance with guidance set by the CDC and the governor’s directives,” said Clark County Commission Chairman Marilyn Kirkpatrick.
“Our community has made huge strides in containing the virus, and we will continue to work with all our partners to keep our caseloads and local hospital capacity in check,” she added.
Kirkpatrick also urged those who haven’t been vaccinated yet to observe health and safety measures, such as wearing masks and physical distancing.
“As we celebrate this milestone in getting back to normal life, we also want to remind our community that we need to continue looking out for the health and safety of each other. If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, please wear a mask and practice social distancing until you are. Getting vaccinated is the key to stopping COVID-19 and keeping our community safe,” she said.
For his part, North Las Vegas City Councilman Scott Black noted that returning to pre-pandemic guidelines is a “major milestone in the region’s response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“For the past 15 months, the city of North Las Vegas has worked closely with Clark County and neighboring cities to analyze, plan and carry out mitigation and enforcement efforts that align with CDC, state and SNHD guidelines,” he said.
“The city will continue to support regional efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and reach all residents, especially access to testing, vaccines and other relief for those who live in under-vaccinated communities, as we work together to safely reopen our economy,” Black added.
Officials expressed hope that vaccination rates will increase in the community as efforts continue to make the vaccines widely accessible to the public.
Appointments at Health District and community partner vaccine clinics are available at www.snhd.info/covid-vaccine or by calling the state’s vaccine hotline at 1-800-401-0946, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
The COVID-19 vaccine also is available to those who are homebound. For more information, call (702) 455-0696 or email [email protected]. Additional COVID-19 clinic information can be found online at www.NVCOVIDFighter.org.
