Las Vegas casinos are beginning to test 4,000 staff members per day for the coronavirus as casinos prepare to reopen in June. In order for Sin City to live again, it must provide Nevada gaming authorities proof that all returning employees are COVID-19 negative.
A Cooperative Plan
Several casino companies have joined forces with local hospitals and union officials in a cooperative plan to test tens of thousands of returning casino employees. Staff members who are being called back into the casino work force must submit to free coronavirus testing.
Caesars and MGM Resorts own most of the casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, with a combined total of over 150,000 hotel rooms and 120,000 employees.
Former MGM Resorts executive Jim Murren has helped gather resources to help with the testing efforts, and he told The Associated Press that he hoped to boost test processing to 30,000 per day by June 1.
Casino Reopening Date Not Set
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered all casinos to close in mid-March, and has not provided a concrete date for casinos to reopen. State gambling regulators expect all casino operators to provide detailed reopening plans, including coronavirus testing and safety protocols, before they can resume business.
Caesar CEO Tony Rodio said his company’s employees will receive a questionnaire to determine their need for a coronavirus test. Test results are expected within 48 hours, and employees who test positive will report to the Southern Nevada Health District for contact tracing.
Nevada health officials reported more than 7,000 positive cases of COVID-19 and 365 deaths. The nationwide coronavirus statistics confirmed 1.6 million cases, with 308,000 recovered and over 95,000 deaths.
The U.S. Has the highest percentage of COVID-19 cases in the world, which account for nearly a third of all global infections and deaths. The U.S. government’s slow response to the crisis during a critical point in time is the main reason for the current coronavirus numbers.
Most people infected with the virus experience mild or moderate symptoms such as a cough or fever, which clear up within 2-3 weeks. The majority of deaths occur in older people with existing health problems, and the majority of infected people recover.
However, the virus is extremely efficient at reproducing, often ‘hiding’ in carriers who display no symptoms at all. This is why government officials are insisting on strict testing procedures in order to eradicate this virus by ceasing its spread.
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