COVID-19’s latest variant is on the loose, but local experts think vaccines can mitigate its spread and severity.
coronavirus
Gov. Joe Lombardo signed a bipartisan bill to repeal COVID-era health regulations.
Expect to pay out-of-pocket for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests, for a start.
Already at pandemic lows, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations dipped this week.
Given that the population of Nevada is relatively young, the state “should have done better,” said one health expert.
The Fremont Street Experience drew thousands of people last year. It’s the second major Las Vegas Valley event designed to ring in the new year that will not happen.
The seven-day average for newly reported COVID-19 cases is now 2,019, more than double the number earlier this month.
The number stretches back to June. Until now, the visitor data ran through only mid-August. At that time at least 530 visitors had tested positive for COVID-19.
The state’s seven-day average of new cases also surpassed 1,000 for the first time since August, and hospitalizations across the state continued to climb.
In an emergency meeting Thursday, a state virus task force approved an indefinite extension to a Washoe County directive limiting the size of gatherings.
More than 100 UNLV students have tested positive after being on campus, according to data from the Nevada System of Higher Education, which posts coronavirus data weekly.
Health agencies say disease investigation reports have “limited, if any value” to the public. Outside experts question the decision.
This month, Nevada officials began analyzing disease investigation data to identify businesses and specific locations where infected residents may have been exposed to the virus.
Nevadans facing financial hardship can now apply for rental assistance from a new state program under the CARES Act. Local governments also have funds.
The Heights of Summerlin reported its seventh death. Nearly 1,000 cases among staff and residents have been reported at more than 50 facilities.
SEIU Local 1107 announced the news during a radio interview Thursday night.
Registered nurses at 15 hospitals in seven states — including MountainView — are planning to voice their concerns Wednesday about what they say is a lack of preparedness at the hospitals for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center is giving each worker only one surgical mask per shift, a critical care nurse said. Those on the front lines are balking at the changing standards.
In most cases, the hospitals are still allowing visitors under certain circumstances, such as for child patients, women in labor and end-of-life situations.