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Anyone who visits a Caesars Entertainment property must wear a mask, according to a new mandate from the company. The parent company behind Caesars Palace, the Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas, the Linq, Paris Las Vegas, and other properties on the Las Vegas Strip implemented the new policy at noon on Wednesday, June 24. That means everyone indoors at its properties is required to wear masks at all times, except when eating or drinking.
The policy applies to all employees, vendors, contractors, guests, and passersby in properties. Previously, all employees and those customers who play table games were required to wear masks at Caesars properties.
At Caesars properties, anyone who refuses to wear a mask, after being asked to put one on, will be directed to leave the property.
“We promised that Caesars would continue to evaluate the latest recommendations, directives and medical science regarding the COVID-19 public health emergency and modify our enhanced health and safety protocols accordingly,” Tony Rodio, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, says in a press statement. “As a result, we are immediately requiring everyone in our properties to wear masks, because the scientific evidence strongly suggests that wearing masks and practicing social distancing may be the most important deterrents to spreading COVID-19 from person to person.”
Caesars Entertainment reopened Caesars Palace, Paris Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas, the Linq and Linq Promenade, and some shops and restaurants at the Grand Bazaar Shops since June 4. Over the weekend, Caesars rewarded customers who wore a mask with a $20 bill, with 375 people receiving $7,500 at the company’s five open resorts.
On Monday, members of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 called for anyone visiting a casino or resort to wear mandatory face coverings or masks.
The union is asking Gov. Steve Sisolak, the gaming board, and Clark County Commissioners, who oversee casinos and resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, to require face coverings to protect bartenders, cocktail waitresses, cleaners, and other workers who interact with people.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board last week announced that players at table games had to don a mask when a plexiglass barrier was not available between a dealer and players.
Nevada only requires business employees to wear masks but not customers.
Gov. Steve Sisolak plans to speak at 5 p.m. on Wednesday and is expected to mandate masks for anyone in public, following the lead of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Last Friday, the governor’s office released a statement saying the he is evaluating the number of COVID-19 cases across the state to determine whether to require updated face covering policies.
“Nevada Health Response has repeatedly urged the use of face coverings when out in public as one of the strongest methods of mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and directives signed by Gov. Steve Sisolak mandate the use of face coverings by employees who interact with the public,” the governor’s office said in a statement on Friday. “…Gov. Sisolak is asking the Medical Advisory Team to evaluate potential options for enhanced face covering policies in Nevada and provide any recommendations for consideration to strengthen Nevada’s response to this global pandemic.”
The news from Caesars Entertainment comes after Clark County reported 295 new COVID-19 cases and two additional deaths on Wednesday, according to the Southern Nevada Health District. On Tuesday, the health department reported 412 new cases, the biggest one-day increase in COVID-19 cases yet. On average, Clark County sees about 290 new cases and three deaths reported daily. So far, 404 people have died due to complications of COVID-19 in Clark County.
Sisolak closed casinos on March 17 to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Nevada Gaming Control Board issued guidelines to resorts to reopen that include maintaining 50 percent capacity, masks on staff, cleaning protocols, and social distancing throughout the casino. Casinos were permitted to reopen across the state on June 4. He says the state is not ready to move into phase three of reopening for business as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb statewide.
• Culinary Union Wants Everyone to Wear a Mask to Protect Workers from COVID-19 [ELV]
• Governor’s Photo at a Henderson Restaurant Without a Mask Causes Controversy [ELV]
• How Coronavirus Is Affecting Las Vegas Food and Restaurants [ELV]
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