Clark County Mitigation and Enforcement Plan for May 1, 2021

In this thread, I'm going to highlight the key parts of the COVID Mitigation Plan from Clark County, starting May 1st.

Please remember that we currently do not have any new guidance from the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which oversee the casinos. This is for Clark County, and the GCB guidelines might be different.

You can download or read the full plan here -
https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Agenda-Item-5b_Clark-County-Transition-Plan.pdf


Here are the parts of the plan I think are most important to VMBers. Please let me know if you have questions and I'll try to get answers for you.


Overview:

The State of Nevada remains under an emergency as declared by the Governor. This declaration allows the state and its partners to respond to the global pandemic, as well as to seek federal resources and reimbursement for actions taken to protect the health of the residents and visitors of our state. This statewide emergency will remain in place for the foreseeable future, which will allow state and local partners to collaborate in addressing the challenges presented by this pandemic.

On February 14, 2021, Governor Sisolak unveiled Nevada’s Roadmap to Recovery Transition Plan which provides his plan to reduce current statewide COVID-19 mitigation measures and transition certain mitigation measures to the local authority. This will occur in a phased approach, with the transition to local authority happening on May 1, 2021, at the earliest.

While it is the Governor’s intent for this delegation of authority to remain in place throughout the remainder of the emergency declaration, factors such as increased viral spread, the unknown nature of various variants, and otherwise could result in increased baseline mitigation measures, or the State resuming control of some or all mitigation measures.

In order to assume delegation of authority regarding specific local mitigation, Clark County has developed a Local Mitigation and Enforcement Plan that meets the requirements as outlined in Nevada’s Roadmap to Recovery Transition Plan. Clark County is proposing that ALL “PROPOSED LOCAL MEASURES” changes are effective May 1, 2021.

The Clark County Local Mitigation and Enforcement Plan continues to highlight our regional approach of following our health and medical experts at the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD). The Clark County plan ensures that our region continues to stay vigilant in protecting the health of our residents and visitors to include following common-sense risk reduction measures and continuous comprehensive monitoring/analysis of disease burden factors such as hospital status, test positivity rate, community testing numbers, and COVID cases per week while prioritizing efforts for herd immunity by incentivizing vaccinations. While it is Governor Sisolak’s goal of having every county reopen to 100% on June 1, Clark County is cautiously optimistic we will meet this goal if Southern Nevadans continue with current robust vaccination efforts.


Capacity and Social Distancing:





Restaurants and Bars:







Pools and Hot Tubs:






Gaming Floors:




Please remember, the GCB will have final say on what the guidelines are for casinos.


Spas:






Elevators:





Strip Clubs:





Nightclubs/Dayclubs:






Karaoke:





Large Gatherings:

This means large groups, such as at a concert, festival, sporting event or convention.

Large gatherings are groups of more than 250 individuals gathering outside in the same general area or indoors within the same room, arena, theater, or other such venue. While the community recovers from COVID-19, event organizers must consider the following:

1. Large Gatherings with less than 20,000 people can be approved at 3 feet social distancing with up to 80% capacity if:

a. the venue is outdoors or if indoors and the area is well ventilated
b. 50% of the community has completed their 1st dose of a vaccination for COVID-19. ​

2. Capacity can increase to 100% fire code occupancy, with no social distancing with less than 20,000 attendees if:

a. all attendees have either completed their vaccination for COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to the event or are tested using a PCR test 24-48 hours prior to the event and have evidence of a negative test result.
b. the venue is outdoors or if indoors the area is well ventilated.
c. 50% of the community has completed their 1st dose of a vaccination for COVID-19 ​

3. When 60% of the eligible community has been vaccinated, capacity at venues can increase to 100% with no social distancing. At that time, event organizers will no longer need to submit large gathering plans. Nevertheless, it is strongly encouraged that all event organizers develop mitigation measures as identified in the checklist below. These measures may need to be implemented in the unlikely event that conditions in the community worsen.

4. Until social distancing is removed, all concerts (such as live music or DJ entertainment), sporting events (such as professional hockey, baseball, football, auto racing etc.) or other such events will have assigned seating. Fairs, conventions, and other similar gatherings can have general admission.

5. Plans for events with general admission that are outdoors and events greater than 20,000 attendees can be submitted for review by SNHD on a case by case basis but may not be recommended to occur because of the current or projected conditions within the community.
a. Definitions;

i. Standing room only tickets are tickets sold without a designated seat.
ii. General admission are tickets sold with a designated seat that is not assigned. ​

6. At the conclusion of the event, the event organizer will inform all attendees that the Health District recommends that attendees be tested for COVID-19 at least five days after returning home.

7. The Health District may require the event organizer to notify all attendees if any outbreaks or cases are identified among event participants or others associated with the event.

8. If conditions worsen prior to the event, the Health District may require additional mitigation measures for the event in an effort to control further deterioration of COVID conditions in the community.





Enforcement:

Overview of the Clark County Recovery Organization Enforcement Workgroup The Clark County Recovery Organization Enforcement Workgroup continues to meet weekly and as needed to discuss emerging issues, clarify directive sections, distribute new sources of data coming from OSHA and SNHD, and ensure all parts of the region are consistent in the application of the directives. Enforcement Workgroup members include staff from the following agencies: the Gaming Control Board, the Division of Industrial Relations, the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the Southern Nevada Health District, Boulder City, the City of Las Vegas, Henderson, Mesquite, the City of North Las Vegas, Unincorporated Clark County, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Enforcement efforts will continue as long as mask mandates, capacity restrictions and social distancing requirements are in place.

As the Clark County Region is maximizing resources to identify and eliminate non-compliance to the Governor’s Directive, we will continue to analyze possible sources of non-compliance such as big box stores or hookah lounges. As trends are identified, we will continue to address issues via enforcement action up to license suspension. Common violations include businesses not enforcing the directive for customers to wear face coverings, businesses not enforcing the directive for employees to wear face coverings, businesses not enforcing the directive in respect to social distancing (if applicable), and businesses operating over capacity.

The Enforcement Workgroup anticipates we can continue to improve our business compliance rates via boots on ground approach to methodically check businesses. Additionally, the jurisdictions use the data provided by OSHA and the SNHD to complete targeted inspections based on industry types linked to high transmission rates, zip codes with the highest transmission rates, and zip codes with the most complaints.

By utilizing a random, complaint-based, and data-driven hybrid inspection model, the region is able to efficiently address constituent concerns and observations while having the ability to pinpoint industry specific issues. Each agency’s goal is to address complaints within 24 hours and respond to complainants within another 24 hours. Also important is the fact that inspections are conducted 7 days per week, which is invaluable to eliminating blind spots.

Should instances of non-compliance be observed by agents, enforcement action is applied. Possible actions include notice of violation, notice of non-compliance, misdemeanor citation, 36-hour suspension, and 14-day suspension.

We will continue to evaluate the number of locations visited, emergency suspensions issued, citation issued, notices of civil penalty issued, notices of violation issued, and complaints received to determine when and where to apply resources. Further, the local jurisdictions, the SNHD, and the State agencies will continue to work together as a region to address non-compliance in a time-efficient and consistent manner.


Monitoring:

Clark County, with support and planning services of City of Las Vegas, City of North Las Vegas, City of Henderson, Boulder City, City of Mesquite, and the Southern Nevada Health District, will continue monitoring and reporting the critical statewide metrics as presented in the SOUTHERN NEVADA REGIONAL RECOVERY ORGANIZATION ACTION PLANS.

The Critical Statewide Metrics are:

• Average Number of tests per day per 100,000
• Case Rate per 100,000 last 30 days
• Case Rate (Per 100,000) AND testing positivity
• Hospital Capacity
• Access to Personal Protective Equipment
• Testing Capacity
• Case Investigation and Contact Tracing
• Protection of Vulnerable Populations
• Enforcement

I think that's about it for the parts that matter to us. There is a much longer section on the application process for large group gatherings that some of you might want to see. Please use the link at the top of this post to view the plan and all the sections.

I'll be watching for something from the Gaming Control Board next week and as we approach May 1st. I'll add it here, when I get it.

 

The Nevada Gaming Contol Board will rescind its current COVID-19 health and safety policy, effective May 1. After that, casinos will be required to follow their respective county's COVID-19 Local Mitigation and Enforcement Plan.





It appears that the Clark County Plan is it and Las Vegas goes to 80% capacity and 3 foot distancing on May 1st.



Here is the link to the full document from the Gaming Control Board:
https://gaming.nv.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=17649

And here are some highlights that are of interest to VMBers:

Use of Face Coverings by Patrons and Guests:

Pursuant to Governor Sisolak’s Emergency Directive 024, licensees shall ensure that all patrons and guests properly utilize face coverings, subject to the guidelines in the Directive. This Policy fully incorporates Emergency Directive 024, including, without limitation, all of its requirements, conditions, limitations, and exceptions. Licensees should have dedicated signage throughout the establishment notifying patrons that face coverings are required. Pursuant to the authority granted to the Board in section 10 of Emergency Directive 024, the Board will strictly enforce Emergency Directive 024.


Gaming Machines:

If previously approved by the Board, solid partitions between gaming machines may continue to be used as an alternative to social distancing requirements. Licensees must ensure that gaming machines, devices, chairs, and other ancillary equipment are cleaned and disinfected on an ongoing basis. Licensees must also ensure the availability of hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes for patron use on the gaming floor. Any cleaning and disinfection schedule must comply with the CDC’s recommendations in its Science Brief: SARSCoV-2 and Surface Transmission for Indoor Community Environments.


Table Games and Card Games:

If previously approved by the Board, solid partitions between patrons and between patrons and dealers may continue to be used as an alternative to social distancing requirements. Licensees must ensure cleaning and disinfection of, without limitation, table games, rails, dice, cards, card shoes, shufflers, roulette wheels, Pai Gow tiles, chips, pit podiums, blackjack discard holders, and toke boxes on a regular basis. Any cleaning and disinfection schedule must comply with the CDC’s recommendations in its Science Brief: SARS-CoV-2 and Surface Transmission for Indoor Community Environments.


Club Venues:

Subject to a county’s Local Plan, licensees that operate club venues may not operate as defined in NRS 463.0144 until June 1, 2021.




EDIT on May 4, 2021:

I just added a post with the new mask guidelines in this thread in post #21 -
https://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/index.php?posts/2214397/

 

Yes, Cosmo is the only one I've heard of offering the cash bonus.

I would say that others are doing what they can to get 80% of the employees vaccinated. Paid time off to get vaccinated and offering the vaccinations on site for employees and family. I think what Wynn is doing is kind of unique too. You can provide proof of vaccination or a weekly COVID test (twice weekly for front facing full time employees) at the employee's cost. The testing is done on site, and costs $20-something per test.

I updated the 2nd post with more information from the Gaming Control Board.

 

It's officially official.



Saturday, May 1st, Clark County's plan goes into effect.

The Governor's statewide mask mandate stays in effect. Otherwise, increased capacity and all the other changes can begin.

 

I'm still trying to find guidance specifically for pools, but I do have new-ish mask news to post today.