FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 20, 2021

• More than 70 percent of people 18 years of age and older in Clark County have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Southern Nevada Health District is reporting a total of 2,270,648 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered as of August 19. The total number of vaccinations initiated is 1,321,114; the number of vaccinations completed is 1,053,447. Approximately 70.32 percent of adults age 18 and older have initiated vaccination. More than 65 percent of people eligible (people ages 12 and over) have also received at least one dose of the vaccine. Additional vaccination information is available at www.snhd.info/covid-cases.
• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended, an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine for individuals who are moderately to severely immunocompromised. Third doses can be administered at least 28 days after a second dose has been received. People who have questions about their specific media conditions should talk their health care provider about whether getting an additional dose is right for them. Additional information and resources are available on the Health District’s website at http://covid.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/toolkit/.
• The CDC has announced plans to recommend booster shots for everyone beginning September 20, pending authorization by the FDA. Booster doses would be given starting eight months after an individual’s second dose.
• People who were fully vaccinated at the beginning of the vaccination rollout, including nursing home residents, other seniors, and health care providers will likely be among the first eligible for a booster. More information will be provided as booster vaccines are authorized and the CDC makes its final recommendations. The Health District has the capacity to provide booster shots and will offer them when these recommendations are finalized.
• The Health District continues to focus on providing people in the community with the first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccines are more accessible than ever before, and available for people age 12 and older at clinics throughout Southern Nevada. More information about clinic locations is available on our website at www.snhd.info/covid-vaccine.
• Today, the Health District is reporting 296,722 cases of COVID-19 in Clark County, an increase of 700 since yesterday. The Health District is also reporting 18 deaths bringing the total to 5,032. Additional information about COVID-19 cases is available at www.snhd.info/covid-case.
• As of August 19, the Southern Nevada Health District has received reports of 6,309 fully vaccinated individuals testing positive for COVID-19. This represents 0.60 percent amongst the fully vaccinated or 60 cases out of every 10,000 fully vaccinated people. Additional information is available at: http://covid.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/cases/breakthrough/
• The Health District continues to emphasize that while no vaccines are 100 percent effective, the currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be highly effective at preventing hospitalizations and death in people who are fully vaccinated.
• The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant or breastfeeding people, people who are trying to become pregnant now or in the future. Pregnant people and recently pregnant people are at a higher risk of severe illness compared with people who are not pregnant. For more information, CDC has information on its website:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/pregnancy.html.
• The Health District continues to support Nevada’s mask mandate that vaccinated and unvaccinated people wear masks in indoor public places, including grocery stores, malls, large events and casinos in areas of high disease transmission. This includes Clark County. In addition, the Health District supports the Clark County School District’s recently updated mask policies that all students, staff, and faculty wear masks inside school property as well as on school busses.
• Updated COVID school guidance is posted at https://media.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/download/COVID-19/resources/SNHD-COVID-19-Preparedness-and-Response-Plan-for-Schools-2021-2022.pdf
• The Health District has signs advising people to wear masks in public indoor spaces: http://covid.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/toolkit/.
• Upcoming vaccination clinics are scheduled at the following locations and additional clinic information is available at www.snhd.info/covid-vaccine:
  • Galleria at Sunset, 1300 W. Sunset Rd., Henderson, NV 89014
    Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., lower level (near Kohl’s)
  • UNLV Stan Fulton Building parking lot, 801 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89154
    Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., drive through only
  • CSN North Las Vegas, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., North Las Vegas, NV 89030 and
    West Charleston 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89146
    Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Southern Nevada Health District, 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107
    Monday-Friday, 6:15 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
  • Department of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS)
    Multiple locations
    Tuesday-Saturday, 12:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
  • All Saints Episcopal Church, 4201 W. Washington Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89107
    Fridays, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• More information about community vaccination site locations can be found at NVCOVIDFighter.org. The site also features live chat support to make scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment and getting information about the vaccine more accessible.
• The Southern Nevada Public Health Laboratory (SNPHL) currently performs genomic sequencing of positive COVID-19 ( SARS-CoV-2) samples. Samples that are beyond SNPHL’s genomic sequencing capacity are sent to the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory. SNPHL continues to build its sequencing capacity to increase the number of samples it can sequence on a weekly basis.
• Sequencing data generated by SNPHL are uploaded and shared with the State of Nevada’s sequencing database.
• As of August 19, the Health District is reporting the following variants of concern in Clark County:

• In the past 30 days, the Health District identified the following variants of concern in Clark County:

• Unvaccinated people who attended large gatherings are at an increased risk of COVID-19 infection and spreading the virus. It is recommended they:
  • Continue wearing masks in public places, in compliance with Nevada’s mask mandate, and in gatherings with unvaccinated friends and family members.
  • Maintain a safe social distance both indoors and outdoors until fully vaccinated.
  • Practice frequent handwashing, especially after being in a public place, after coughing, or sneezing and before eating.
  • Visit the CDC’s website for additional guidance for unvaccinated people at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.
• COVID-19 testing will be available at testing kiosks at the following locations and additional information is available at: https://snhd.fulgentgenetics.com.:
  • Beginning Monday, August 23:
    • Alexander Library, 1755 W. Alexander Rd., North Las Vegas, NV 89032
      Monday – Friday, 12 pm. –  6 p.m. (there will be no testing Friday, Aug. 27)
    • Walnut Community Center, 3705 N. Walnut Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89115
      Monday – Friday, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Beginning Tuesday, August 24
    • Parkdale Recreation and Senior Center, 3200 Ferndale St., Las Vegas, NV 89121
      Monday – Friday, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
    • Cambridge Community Center, 3930 Cambridge St., LV NV 89119
      Monday – Friday, 12 p.m.

• COVID-19 testing is available at the following locations: Southern Nevada Health District, 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107, Monday-Friday, 6:15 a.m. – 12 p.m.; CSN North Las Vegas, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., North Las Vegas, NV 89030, CSN West Charleston, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89146, and CSN Henderson, 700 College Dr., Henderson, NV 89002, Tuesday-Friday, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.; UNLV Stan Fulton Building parking lot, 801 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV  89154, Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
• People who have symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested immediately. Additionally, people who have had a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should also be tested, regardless of vaccination status. For those fully vaccinated, testing should occur three to five days after exposure and they should wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative result. For those who are not yet fully vaccinated, testing should occur immediately after being identified, and if negative, should occur again within five to seven days of last exposure or if symptoms of COVID-19 develop. Those who are not fully vaccinated and have a known exposure should also quarantine for 14 days. The CDC has information about testing on its website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/diagnostic-testing.html#who-should-get-tested.
• COVID-19 testing information is available at www.snhd.info/covid-testing and on the Nevada Health Response website at https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/find-covid-19-testing-in-nevada/.

The Health District and its partners continue to offer COVID-19 vaccines and testing throughout the community. The COVID-19 vaccine is the most important and effective step people can take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. Additionally, people who are sick should stay home and get tested if they have symptoms related to COVID-19. People who are unvaccinated and have taken part in activities that put them at higher risk for COVID-19, such as traveling or attending mass gatherings should also get tested.

More information about COVID-19, including Health District resources, reports, and testing and vaccine clinic sites is available at www.snhd.info/covid. The Health District’s COVID-19 Dashboard is updated daily and available at www.snhd.info/covid-cases.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.