LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Some Las Vegas business owners fear that stricter restrictions could return as COVID-19 cases continue to climb in Nevada.
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“You don’t open and close businesses like flipping a switch, it’s not like turning on and off a light,” said Scott Frost, with Hussong’s Cantina.
With current COVID-19 numbers and a stern warning from the state’s governor, Las Vegas restaurants and tourism businesses are on edge.
“A lot of people are timid to book out into the future because they’re not exactly sure what tomorrow looks like and we get a lot of calls about it,” said Donald Contursi, with Lip Smacking Foodie Tours.
As of Tuesday, the Nevada Department of Health is reporting more than 120,000 confirmed cases with an average of 1,600 new cases per day over the last week.
Business owners told 13 Action News that they’re worried this trend could lead to a return of restrictions that they simply can't handle again.
“Getting through another shutdown and trying to reopen again... we’re going to lose staff," said Frost. “We’re going to lose customers and the landlords are going to have a problem. It’s just going to be devastating,”
Gov. Steve Sisolak is expected to speak early next week after he himself tested positive for COVID-19.
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Last week he warned he would be taking action if conditions didn’t improve and was urging Nevadans to stay home as much as possible.
“I see him starting to parallel so of what’s happening in California because he’s already using the mask mandate and we can’t move to mask mandate because we’re already here,” said Dr. Daliah Wachs.
In California, 40 counties have moved back to harsher restrictions.
Gov. Newsom said Monday that the state’s COVID-19 cases had doubled in the past ten days, and he is even considering a curfew.
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