DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY DIRECTIVE 051
WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020, I, Steve Sisolak, Governor of the State of Nevada, issued a Declaration of Emergency to facilitate the State's response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, then-President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, declared a nationwide emergency pursuant to Sec. 501 (6) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121-5207 (the "Stafford Act"); and
WHEREAS, the World Health Organization advises that the novel coronavirus that causes COVID- 19 virus is highly contagious, and spreads through respiratory transmission, and direct and indirect contact with infected persons and surfaces; and
WHEREAS, the World Health Organization advises that transmission occurs through both droplet and airborne transmission, where droplet transmission occurs when a person is in close proximity to someone who is infected with COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, on March 14, 2020, I formed a COVID-19 Medical Advisory Team to provide medical guidance and scientifically based recommendations on measures Nevada could implement to better contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, in late December 2020, Nevada began distributing COVID-19 vaccines, and there is now an abundant supply of vaccines; and
WHEREAS, infectious disease and public health experts advised that wearing a mask or other face covering remains an important and effective measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, new variants of the COVID-19 virus have been identified, and medical experts have determined that some of these variants are significantly more contagious than previously known variants; and
WHEREAS, the CDC has identified the "delta" variant of COVID-19 and has deemed it a "variant of concern" due to its higher transmissibility; and
PAGE 2
WHEREAS, COVID-19 cases in Nevada have trended upward since early July, 2021, the test positivity rate climbed to over 15%, and most cases in Nevada have been identified as the delta variant; and
WHEREAS, on July 27, 2021, the CDC released updated guidance that all persons in counties with substantial or high transmission, whether vaccinated or not, continue to wear a mask while in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor spaces; and
WHEREAS, on May 3, 2021, the Governor issued Emergency Directive 045, which provides, among other things, that the State of Nevada requires the wearing of masks in a manner consistent with current guidance from the CDC, including any subsequent guidance issued by the CDC; and
WHEREAS, on August 16, 2021 and September 2, 2021, the Governor issued Emergency Directives 049 and 050, respectively, which allow an option to certain event operators to hold events that do not require wearing face coverings if the attendees show proof of vaccination: and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 remains a statewide public health crisis and requires that certain mitigation measures and emergency management functions will continue to be managed at the state level to protect the overall health and safety of all Nevadans; and
WHEREAS, Article 5, Section 1 of the Nevada Constitution provides: “The supreme executive power of this State, shall be vested in a Chief Magistrate who shall be Governor of the State of Nevada,”
NOW, THEREFORE, by the authority vested in me as Governor by the Constitution and the laws of the state of Nevada and the United States, and pursuant to the March 12, 2020 Emergency Declaration,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT
SECTION 1:
The provisions of previous Directives are hereby superseded only by the explicit provisions of this Directive. Any provisions not addressed by this Directive shall remain in force as provided by previous Directives or regulations promulgated pursuant to the March 12, 2020 Declaration of Emergency.
SECTION 2:
Section 7 of Directive 050 is hereby amended to read as follows:
Event operators may admit attendees under the age of 12, regardless of vaccination status. However, all such attendees age 2 and over who do not show proof of full vaccination must continue to wear a face covering during the event, regardless of whether they would otherwise be exempt from the face covering requirement due to age.
SECTION 3:
Section 9 of Directive 050 is hereby amended to read as follows:
Event operators must implement a system of distinguishing attendees who are fully vaccinated from those who are only partially vaccinated or who are under the age of 12 and are not fully vaccinated, and must ensure that all attendees who are not fully vaccinated continue to wear a face covering during the event.
SECTION 4
Section 10 of Directive 050 is hereby terminated.
SECTION 5:
The provisions of this Directive are effective immediately and shall remain in effect until amended or terminated by a subsequent Directive promulgated pursuant to the March 12, 2020 Declaration of Emergency to facilitate the State's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, or upon dissolution or termination of the Declaration of Emergency.