DenverBrian

Until the numbers drop below R0 less than 1 (one spreader infecting, on average, one or fewer other people)...AND enough testing so anyone can test and know, that day, if they're positive...AND enough contact tracing to stop any spreaders who test positive.

That's what you need to go back to "normal" in the absence of a vaccine. That's what grownup countries did.

lindaiah

The contact tracing is the part I really don't understand at this point during an outbreak. At the beginning, maybe, but after it has spread as much as it has..? How does one do 'contact tracing' for a person who was in general or possibly closer contact with 100 people in a grocery store, for example? Or do they just care about those that person lives with or comes into much closer contact with? Seems like contact tracing is very difficult to do at this stage.
And if someone tests negative today, when do they get tested again? When they feel sick, or on some kind of regular basis?

DenverBrian

You have to get down to R0 less than 1. Yep, because we didn't do massive contract tracing at the start, it will be a major task to implement. And yes, fast, accurate testing on demand is critical as well - you should be able to swab your nose every day if you want, and see the results that day. Many sports teams are already doing this, so it's possible, it just has to be scaled up. Given the current unemployment rate, there are plenty of people who could easily be trained to be contact tracers, testers, etc.

We followed the path of "it's too hard, I give up." But the virus doesn't give up.

Boraxo

Agree, tracing is almost pointless now in the USA (except maybe Alaska/Hawaii) as opposed to Iceland. The community spread is too wide and too undetected. There is no putting the genie back in the box and even countries that were successful are now getting new waves.

The better course is to implement reasonable restrictions to control behavior and try to knock some sense into people who don't want to comply. Banning outdoor activities is counterproductive; banning indoor activities that are conducive to superspreading (umm, like sitting at a casino table or sporting events with strangers for hours) makes a lot more sense. But I guess we all have a choice on what we do to minimize risk (or not).

Adelphos

Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to be the case - countries that were “responsible” (real lockdown, testing, etc) generally have had to keep restrictions on or reimpose them as cases flare up. Even in Germany, there are local lockdowns in various regions, capacity controls at football matches, etc. Outside of China I’m not aware of many countries that are closer to normal. The issue with using restrictions on movement to get COVID cases back down is that Covid cases go back up once things are normalized, so the reaction is to reimpose restrictions - the exit strategy to normal isn’t there

gengar

Just as an update, bars in Clark County are allowed to reopen beginning this Monday 21 September.

roadtriper

Watching a Live Web Cam of Freemont St.
Weekend Nights are Crazy Busy. Thousands of people milling about, Masked up but definitely not Social Distancing. Crowds as big as before the Pandemic. Like nothing going on! groups of young folks everywhere...

gabbygrrl

Let me quickly report on our Vegas trip: stayed away from Freemont St and late night activities since that is when the non-maskers seem to be active.
We had a fantastic trip! Casino levels were low, hand sanitizer and wipes everywhere, masks and distancing not a problem, rented a cabana at the pool to have our own space, did an escape room which was private, rented a car to avoid the usual Lyft/Uber rides, had no issue at the hotel elevators as everyone waited for an empty one or would ask if you minded if they got in. We were responsible for ourselves-meaning if someone stood too close or had a mask below their nose, we removed ourselves from the situation.
The one drawback that I could see was the free parking that is now the norm-on a Friday night at Caesar's the stream of people coming in from the parking garage was interesting-yelling, falling on the floor laughing, barely any clothes on-I'd say not the Caesar's crowd of the past. We left that casino.
Happy to answer any other questions.

thebat

Are the bars open? What percentage roughly would you say Strip establishments open?

gabbygrrl

The bars opened the night we left so I can only comment on the ones at our-they were extremely busy, with long lines to get in and 90 minute maximum stay. It’s been several weeks since we were there so maybe someone with a more recent stay can advise.

Yahtzee

Eater Vegas has a running list of what restaurants have reopened. I was a bit surprised (probably shouldn't be) by how many remain closed - including limited hours at many (no dinner at Veranda ar 4S; Border Grill closing at 7; etc.). I decided to move a January trip out to February.

steved5480

https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/

gengar

Caesars is already reinstating parking fees at all their properties except Planet Hollywood.

https://www.reviewjournal.com/busine...itors-2149823/

iahphx

I'm a Caesar's Diamond member and will be in Vegas next week for a night before heading out of town. I'm not super-keen to stay in a huge Vegas hotel during Covid, but since the room is basically free for me, I suppose I will. I will be there on a weekday: can I assume the Strip hotels will be pretty empty? Are the Strip hotel restaurants open? I have a $100 "Celebration dinner" certificate for 2020 that I'd like to use up. Is there any place I could eat outside with it? I assume there's social distancing in the restaurants, and all the buffets are closed?

eponymous_coward

As risk goes, if you're avoiding the casino, bars and crowded spaces, and are engaging in proper COVID countermeasures (washing hands, masks, social distancing), hotels seem to be pretty low risk as an activity, especially if you're not going to do indoor dining. This is basically how I am doing Vegas these days: outdoor dining and activities, no bars, avoid crowds, close contact and confined spaces- the Japanese 3 c's.

(I have friends I visit there and the room prices are screaming good deals- Bally's/Flamnigo/Rio/Harrah's/Linq are $10-25 a night for base room rate a lot of the time, and if you're Diamond there's no resort fee.)

Yes. No convention business = ghost town during the weeks.

Some will be, some will not. No convention business = ghost town = nobody's taking their clients out to $500 dinners = "why would we be open during the week?" for a lot of the upscale places.

Mon Ami Gabi has patio dining first come first served, though they're laying off a bunch of folks so that doesn't sound like good news. Probably some places over on the LINQ Promenade too, though the only place I've eaten over there is Gordon Ramsay's fish and chips joint, which seems like a waste of a $100 dinner. Hell's Kitchen has a to go menu, so you could pick up there, walk back and eat in your room, depending on how far away you are. I've done a Celebration Dinner there as a fake Diamond via Wyndham status match trickery pre-COVID- it was good and perfectly fine 3 course meal with scallop appetizer, Beef Wellington, dessert and wine if not incredibly memorable (the scallops were the best part).

Yes and yes.