Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced Tuesday afternoon that mask mandates will be returning to 12 of Nevada’s 17 counties due to the rise in transmission of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus.
In line with Emergency Directive 045—which was signed and went into effect on May 3—the State of Nevada is automatically adopting the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance related to mask requirements.
The governor, however, issued a new directive—Emergency Directive 047—to provide a grace period until 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 30 for the new mask mandate to go into effect.
The City of Reno also today announced that mask mandates, regardless of vaccination status, will go into effect in public indoor settings at city facilities on Wednesday, July 28.
The City is advising the media and public that effective tomorrow, per the CDC’s Interim Public Health Recommendations, all people, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask (face covering) in public indoor settings at all City of Reno facilities.
The CDC recommended on Tuesday that everyone, including fully vaccinated individuals, wear a mask in public indoor settings in counties with substantial or high transmission.
Twelve of Nevada’s 17 counties are currently deemed as having substantial or high transmission. In addition to Washoe County, people in Carson, Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye and White Pine will have to mask up again when indoors in public.
The Delta variant of the virus now accounts for the majority of new cases in Nevada and across the United States.. The variant has shown to be much more contagious. According to health officials, it is twice as contagious as prior strains.
The new CDC mask guidance issued today included a recommendation for universal masking for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools—regardless of vaccination status.
Government officials are continuing to encourage all residents and visitors to Nevada to be vaccinated as soon as they’re able. All three vaccines of the available vaccines—Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen—are safe and effective.
Nevadans 12 years of age and older are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Visit NVCOVIDFighter.org or call 1-800-401-0946 for the latest information on appointment and walk-in availability.
