Nevada governor: No masks at events that require vaccines

Nevada governor: No masks at events that require vaccines

SeattlePI.com

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Large events held in Nevada can add themselves to the growing number of places in the U.S. where people in crowds are asked to prove they have been inoculated against COVID-19, the governor said Monday.

Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak said that large indoor venues in cities like Las Vegas and Reno will be allowed to opt out of the state's mask requirements if they verify their guests are vaccinated.

“This is cutting edge. There’s no other venues in the country that are doing this," Sisolak said. “I think it is going to get people more people wanting to go to an event because they know that when they walk in that arena, or that stadium, everybody’s vaccinated.”

Venues with capacities greater than 4,000 will be eligible for the exemption. Partially vaccinated people and children ineligible to receive vaccines can attend venues that opt in, but must remain masked. Sisolak made clear that the policy was not a mandate and was voluntary for venues.

He said he'd seen pictures of unmasked fans at recent soccer and football games and framed his directive as an option for event organizers who don't want to enforce mask mandates.

“This gives an option for event organizers to choose between requiring masks indoors for all attendees — regardless of vaccination status — or making the choice to only allow vaccinated individuals into their events, and letting the fully vaccinated take their masks off,” he said.

The move to expand proof of vaccination requirements in one of the country's entertainment capitals comes days after officials in New York, San Francisco and New Orleans adopted proof-of-vaccination measures for indoor public spaces, conventions or concert halls.

Some large venues in Las Vegas have for weeks been requiring conference and concert attendees to...

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