Nevada Adopts New CDC Guidance to Relax Mask Requirements | National News

Nevada also began making COVID-19 shots available to children up to the age of 12 for the first time on Thursday after a federal health adviser approved the use of Pfizer’s vaccine in children.

Mr. Sisorak said each county has the authority to establish its own social distance requirements since May 1. Private sector companies, organizations and organizations may have more restrictive mask policies than the CDC guidance, he said.

“COVID-19 is still a great threat in our state and many Nevadas may choose to continue using masks based on their and their family’s personal health concerns.” Said the Nevada Health Response Team in a statement.

Earlier Thursday, President Joe Biden and his staff appeared in the White House Rose Garden without a mask while he was giving new guidance.

“Today is a great day for America,” Biden said. “If you are fully vaccinated, you do not need to wear a mask … wear a mask until you are vaccinated or vaccinated.”

Guidance requires wearing masks in crowded indoor environments such as buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters. But it helps clarify how to reopen work, school, and other places — even eliminates the need for social distance for fully vaccinated people.

The new guidance can open the door to confusion as there is no surefire way for businesses and others to distinguish between those who are fully vaccinated and those who are not.

Nevada has neither required nor banned private organizations from checking the status of individual vaccinations, health officials said. They encouraged employers and organizations to post signs containing the latest CDC mask guidance for vaccinated and unvaccinated guests.

Meanwhile, more than 177,000 Nevada residents belong to a new vaccinated group aged 12-16, according to state health officials.

“That’s a huge problem,” said Carissa Roper, head of the Nevada Department of Child, Family and Community Health.

“It is especially important for children, especially adolescents and teens, to be vaccinated because of the risk of more social contact and the spread of the virus,” she said Thursday.

As of Wednesday, 30% of all Nevada residents have been fully vaccinated, and 37.7% of Nevada residents over the age of 16 have been vaccinated. Vaccination was initiated on the first shot of 37.8% of all residents and 47.7% over 16 years of age.

Pfizer’s vaccine has been used by people over the age of 16 for months, and earlier this week the Food and Drug Administration approved it for young people aged 12.

To date, 10% of more than 2 million COVID-19 cases in Nevada belong to the 10-19 year old group, Roper said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that children now account for one-fifth of all COVID-19 cases nationwide. A year ago, they made up only 3% of the total.

Between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2020, approximately 1.5 million cases were reported nationwide for individuals aged 11 to 17 years.

According to Roper, this is because the virus is more likely to target children as more adults are vaccinated.

By 12:00 pm Thursday, Washoe County Health District officials reported that they had already booked more than 300 people between the ages of 12 and 15 at the drive-through post at the Reno Sparks Livestock Events Center.

Vaccinated persons between the ages of 12 and 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Reservations are recommended, but not required.

“This provides the United States with another resource in the fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. Bayocale Winchel, Medical Director of Emergency Medicine at St Mary’s Hospital in Reno.

“I’m relieved to know that my children will receive another level of protection during the summer activities and the next grade,” she added.

The Southern Nevada Health District began offering Pfizer Shots to people over the age of 12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and many other sites on Thursday.

“The more people in our community are vaccinated, the better protection everyone has,” said Dr. Fermin Regen, District Health Officer, Southern Nevada Health District. I will.