COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of Nevada on March 5, 2020. Because of concerns about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Nevada governor Steve Sisolak declared a state of emergency on March 12, 2020. Four days later, Nevada reported its first death. On March 17, 2020, Sisolak ordered the closure of non-essential businesses in the state, to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Grocery stores were among the businesses considered essential, and restaurants were allowed to provide drive-thru, takeout, and delivery services. At the end of March 2020, Sisolak announced a 90-day moratorium on evictions and foreclosures for commercial and residential tenants. The moratorium would be extended several times over the next year.

Various protests were held against Sisolak's shutdown order beginning in April 2020. Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman was also critical of the shutdown and its length, urging Sisolak to reopen the state. Goodman was widely criticized after suggesting that Las Vegas become a control group to test the effectiveness of social distancing. Nevada launched the first phase of its reopening on May 9, 2020. Restaurants and retailers were among the businesses allowed to reopen, but with precautions in place, such as limiting occupancy to 50 percent. A second phase went into effect on May 29, 2020. It allowed for the reopening of state parks and businesses such as bars, gyms, and movie theaters. Casinos began reopening on June 4, 2020.

COVID-19 cases increased following the reopenings, and facial masks were mandated for residents at the end of June 2020. Bars in certain counties were closed the following month to help stop the rise in cases, and they gradually reopened over the next few months. In September 2020, Sisolak announced that live shows and conventions could resume with reduced attendance. Cases began to rise again in October 2020, following a decline in the months prior. COVID-19 vaccinations began at the end of 2020, and Sisolak reduced capacity for gatherings and various businesses to help stop the surge in cases. His latest measures were gradually eased starting in February 2021.

Control over COVID-19 restrictions was transferred from the state to individual counties on May 1, 2021, and the mask mandate was briefly eased that month for fully vaccinated residents. Cases and hospitalizations increased during mid-2021, due to vaccine hesitancy and the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, which was more transmissible. The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant resulted in another surge beginning in December 2021. It subsided within a few months, and Sisolak ended the mask mandate in February 2022, amid a decrease in cases and hospitalizations.

The majority of cases and deaths have occurred in Clark County, which includes the Las Vegas Valley.^[2] Washoe County, which includes the Reno-Sparks area, is the second most-impacted county.^[3] As of November 1, 2023^[update], there have been 904,681 cases and 12,176 deaths reported in Nevada, and the state has fully vaccinated 1,818,779 residents.^[1]