LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — With COVID-19 no longer as prominent in daily life, many Southern Nevada residents are adjusting how they view and handle the virus.
Skye Brower, a local who works on the Las Vegas Strip, reflects a shift in perspective that is becoming more common.
“I’ve had a couple of friends get COVID recently, but none of them had really bad symptoms,” Brower said. “It just doesn’t feel like as big of a deal anymore.”
Yet, Southern Nevada Health District data shows that COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared. While case numbers are lower than in previous years, they remain present, with 1,710 cases reported in September and over 15,000 cases logged in Clark County since January.
While COVID does seem like something of the past— the virus is still present here in Southern Nevada.
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention anticipate a respiratory season similar to last year’s, which saw peak hospitalizations at over 20 per 100,000 people affected by COVID-19, flu and RSV. Health experts, like valley epidemiologist Rosanne Sugay, explain that reported case numbers might not capture the full scope of COVID-19 in the community.
Many people are now using at-home tests or not testing at all, meaning a lot of cases go unreported. A lot of it is reported as, ‘I swabbed myself at home, I have COVID,’ and those are not going to show up on official reports because they are not showing up as a lab test.
To reduce infection risk, Sugay encourages residents to follow CDC recommendations, including getting vaccinated.
“Vaccination rates remain low in Clark County,” she pointed out, adding that simple respiratory hygiene can also offer protection.
Basic precautions like covering coughs and sneezes, wearing masks in crowded areas, and staying home when sick can help keep illness levels manageable as the season progresses.
