LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Several Las Vegas Strip properties have adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new mask guidelines. While some guests welcome the change, others say they are keeping their masks on, for now.
“I always wear my mask inside,” shared Lori Hartsock-Kane. “You don’t know who is going to be vaccinated, so you just continue to do what is right for you.”
Visitors on the famed stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard voiced their opinions, as properties from MGM Resorts and Caesars to The Cosmopolitan, Wynn and Venetian jumped on board with the updated guidance.
“It’s like 50/50,” said Tom Caron. “We mask up inside in crowded areas, but outside, we feel all right about it because we are vaccinated.”
Diamond Berry told us, “You can’t really tell who has been vaccinated or not. We were walking around without masks, and we’re not vaccinated.”
“I’m not taking those chances with anybody else, especially my grandma and my people,” said Carlos Hamlin. “I don’t want them to catch it just because I’m on a vacation.”
While many of these resorts and casinos are adopting the honor code — not asking for proof of vaccination for guests — employees at MGM and the Venetian Resort will continue to mask up, even if they have received their vaccine.
The stores inside of the resorts can still implement mask regulations.
“So, yesterday, I had a gentleman at my work, who was telling everybody that they can take off their mask because the CDC lifting,” shared store employee Selena Espinoza, “which is inconvenience for us because our store still has the mandate.”
8 News Now also reached out to Station Casinos and Boyd Gaming. We are waiting to hear more about their plans. We did go inside several properties on the Strip, and from our observation, about half of the crowd was wearing masks, while others were not.
