The COVID-19 Delta variant has been affecting the entire country. Here’s a popular destination that’s now considered high risk.
The surge of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has had deadly outcomes. The highly contagious Delta variant has resulted in cases of breakthrough COVID-19 and the hospitalization and deaths of thousands of unvaccinated people. While travel is back on the map, it’s important to consider your destination, since some states pose a bigger threat than others when it comes to the spread of the virus. Las Vegas is now considered one of these risky locations.
Las Vegas is one of the most popular locations for travelers from all over the world, whether they’re interested in cannabis tourism or simply the bars and casinos. It is currently considered a dangerous spot to travel due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.
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According to the New York Times, COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths have had a 102% increase over the past two weeks. As a result, government officials in California, Chicago and Hawaii have warned people against traveling to Vegas and Nevada.
“Among our recent cases since we’ve had the surge over the last month, many of those had mainland travel and of those … many of those went to Vegas,” said Janet Berreman, District Health Officer of the Kauai District in Hawaii.
One reason why Vegas is so contagious is due to the fact that most of the entertainment and events there are held in indoor spaces. Visitors and guests from all over the country spend prolonged periods of time getting to know each other and spending time at hotels and casinos, where masks aren’t mandatory. While local businesses will likely be asking people to wear face masks when indoors, drinking, gambling and socializing is likely to result in lax safety measures.
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When it comes to protecting yourself against the virus, it’s very important to follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines. Experts say that the main way to protect yourself is to get vaccinated and to wear a mask in places where there’s poor airflow and a lot of people. When it comes to the unvaccinated, their list of risks and longer. It’s recommended to wear face mask on most occasions and to avoid traveling and being in places with large crowds, especially if they’re indoors.
