Clark County Bars Can Reopen on Sunday

Clark County welcomes bars back on Sunday night, even if they do not serve food, after the governor reclosed them nearly 70 days ago to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Nevada’s COVID-19 Mitigation and Management Task Force unanimously voted to allow bars, taprooms, and breweries to reopen on Sunday night at 11:59 p.m. after approving Clark County’s game plan for health and safety protocols to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Clark County Commission chairwoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick reiterated bar owner’s commitment to follow those protocols that include maintaining 50 percent capacity, customers and staff wearing masks while they are walking through the establishment, and maintaining six feet of social distancing with tables and seats.

Another factor in gaining approval from the task force — a lower COVID-19 positivity rate, which state biostatistician Kyra Morgan says dropped from 8.6 percent to 7.8 percent between Monday and Thursday in Clark County.

Washoe County, where Reno is, reopened bars taprooms, breweries, and wineries on Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. after gaining approval from the task force last week.

Gov. Steve Sisolak closed all nonessential businesses including casinos, restaurants, and bars in March. Sisolak allowed bars to reopen in phase two starting Friday, May 29. Sisolak ordered bars to reclose on July 10 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While many bars shifted to offering some sort of food to keep the doors open, bar-top gaming provided as much as 50 percent of many taverns’ income. Clark County allowed bars to move some of their gaming machines off the bar top and into stand-alone units within the lounge, but limited in number.

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