It almost feels that life never existed in Las Vegas as the uninvited pandemic shut the city down. We no longer hear the slot machines chime and the activity of busy pedestrians traversing the Strip. While we are in a phase of re-opening to the public, there are rules. Slot machines at the casinos have been removed and the remaining machines are now farther apart. Tape on the floor at the Craps tables shows players where to stand to meet social-distancing requirements. (Creswell 2020)
Casinos will not operate without quality checks and approvals from public health and state officials. Experts indicate that factors like a decline in cases followed by widespread testing, hospitals having adequate space and resources to support ongoing treatments, will help in the faster reopening of public places in Nevada. (Crosby 2020)
Nobody comes to Las Vegas for quiet, solitary activity. As frustrating as it is, social distancing is going to be a norm that all of us will practice as long as COVID19 has no viable vaccine. It is our best chance to break the chain of infection and regain normalcy.
The closures and new rules of engagement are to enforce social distancing, a crucial public health intervention that can help stop transmission of COVID19, which at the time of this publication, is still rising globally. Each country has a different set of rules for pandemic mitigation and visitors from outside of the US may make it difficult to track and quarantine carriers of the virus. It is all uncharted waters.
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), social distancing means ‘avoiding crowded places and maintaining distance from others when possible.’ Now, let us fully understand what social distancing means and how it can be practiced.
What Is Social Distancing?
Image Source – CDC
Social distancing, also called ‘physical distancing,’ means keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home. To practice social or physical distancing:
- Stay at least 6 feet (about two arms’ length) from other people
- Do not gather in large groups
- Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings where people are not wearing masks
People can spread the virus even before they know they are sick even when there are no visible symptoms. Social distancing is especially crucial for people who are at higher risk due to compromised immune systems.
So what does this mean? Avoid gatherings outside at places like a friend’s house, parks, restaurants, shops, or any other public space without proper precautions. This advice applies to people of all age groups, including teens and younger adults. (CDC 2020)
The Reality of Social Distancing
These guidelines issued by governing bodies like the CDC are not law which means the rules are subject to interpretation and personal liberty as to whether to comply. Some choose to walk too close to others in the supermarket. Others decide to go on a jog without wearing masks, panting as they go by, etc. Large crowds at events, and recent social and political gatherings are also seeing personal indifference. It’s a scary situation. (Goldman 2020)
Pause to think about what you can do as a socially conscious and responsible person. It’s not just about protecting ourselves, it’s also meant to protect vulnerable populations. Even if you have no reason to believe that you have not been exposed to the virus, practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is our best chance to regain our ability to return to normal.
Las Vegas Will Recover
A few months of social distancing is affecting everyone in different ways. Our city is traditionally a city without limits when it comes to having fun. It’s important to remember that we have seen hard times before. We are resourceful and will come back from COVID-19 with a renewed sense of health and safety as we are all aware of the importance of how viruses like Coronavirus work and how to create safe spaces going forward.
While we recover together, and continue to navigate to preventative treatment, Elite Care Medical Center is here to serve the community and visitors to our city in need of ER convenience. We have COVID-19 rapid testing, on-site radiology, labs with rapid results on bloodwork, and can diagnose and perform life-saving care.
About Elite Medical Center:
We are guided by the principle that people deserve faster, better medical care. We provide a level of VIP treatment that we believe every patient not only deserves but should always expect.
Our patients are seen by emergency physicians within minutes and treated with respect and compassion. The facility is clean, comfortable and has a friendly, calming atmosphere when you need it most. Patients at our facility enjoy an outstanding level of medical service provided by committed medical professionals and delivered in a prompt, efficient fashion.
Location: 150 E HARMON AVE., LAS VEGAS, NV
Hours: Open 24/7 – 365 day of the year
Phone Number: (702) 546-0911
Works Cited
“Social Distancing Keep Your Distance to Slow the Spread.” Https://Www.cdc.gov/, 2020, http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/index.html
Goldman, Leslie. “What Are the Rules of Social Distancing?” Vox.com , Vox, 15 Mar. 2020, http://www.vox.com/2020/3/15/21179296/coronavirus-covid-19-social-distancing-bored-pandemic-quarantine-ethics
Crosby, Rachel. “Prepare for a Long Haul? Social Distancing May Not End for Months.” Journal, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 20 Apr. 2020, http://www.reviewjournal.com/local/the-strip/prepare-for-a-long-haul-social-distancing-may-not-end-for-months-2008915/
Creswell, Julie. “A Socially Distanced Las Vegas? What Are the Odds?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 26 May 2020, http://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/business/coronavirus-las-vegas-casinos.html
