LETTER: Only better testing will save Las Vegas
It is now apparent that this virus is extremely contagious and may be being spread mostly by pre-symptomatic people. The United States has failed to contain it. Extreme social distancing seems to be preventing a full-blown, societywide explosion of cases, but we are risking tens of thousands of deaths in Southern Nevada alone if we relent at all in the next month or so.
Nationwide, the death rate so far is around 3 percent to 4 percent of known cases and spikes higher when hospitals are overwhelmed.
The Las Vegas economy depends on people traveling from all over the world to congregate close together in large groups. When just one asymptomatic person can infect dozens, this will not be possible again for a very long time. One way back is a vaccine. But we are at least two years from development, testing and widespread enough administering of the vaccine to have herd immunity.
The other route is abundant rapid testing. If I were an enterprising gaming executive, I would throw everything into manufacturing the five-minute coronavirus test here in Las Vegas. This will take months. Everyone will need to be tested before entering a casino or large event. Millions of tests will be needed in Las Vegas alone. The alternative is to stay shuttered for the next two years.
