Gov. Steve Sisolak on Monday moved to align Nevada’s face covering mandate with that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through a new Emergency Directive 045. The CDC, on April 27, revised its guidelines for masks and face coverings to adjust for a greater number of individuals being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The CDC’s new guidance allows for fully vaccinated people to gather indoors with others who are fully vaccinated, or with one other household who are unvaccinated, without masking or social distancing. Fully vaccinated people also aren’t required to wear a mask for outdoor activities, except in some crowded settings.
In most indoor public spaces, masks will still be required for everyone, the CDC advises. That’s because the vaccination status of people, and their potential risk for severe COVID-19, cannot be known.
The governor’s directive on masking notes that because of the continued potential for COVID-19 transmission in indoor public spaces, businesses should ensure all customers and employees follow masking procedures. Businesses can also restrict entry for those who are not wearing masks or face coverings.
“Fully vaccinated” as defined by the CDC means two weeks have passed since an individual received their second dose in a two-dose series of vaccinations, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks have passed since an individual received a single-dose vaccine, such as the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine. Those who don’t meet these requirements are not fully vaccinated and should continue taking all precautions until they are.
