Casinos Ignore Fauci’s Advice And Reopen On Their Timeline

coronavirus casinos reopening soon

After weeks of inactivity, casinos across the nation are beginning the slow process of reopening. But it’s unclear what the result will be as they welcome guests back through their doors.  

When asked about loosening public health measures and possible reopenings back in March, Dr. Anthony Fauci said, “You don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline.”  In the same vein, I believe that the varying safety measures casinos have put in place are unlikely to have a significant impact on Coronavirus infection numbers.

Even if you think they mitigate spread, the policies are less effective than shuttered casinos, and as I’ll explain, could lead to another wave of COVID-19, and by extension, another prolonged shutdown. And instead of waiting an extra two or three weeks now, casinos may have to close for two or three months later.  

Ineffectual Policies with Good Intentions

Unlike horse racing or even sports betting, casinos can’t function without guests.

One scroll through the pictures and videos coming out of these facilities makes it clear that many of these policies are poorly thought out, nor does the efficacy hold up to scrutiny.

For more first-hand pictures and commentary, I recommend following Vegas_Advantage on Twitter.

In an effort to control the spread of the virus (short of drastic social distancing measures, Fauci sees this as folly), casinos have implemented numerous feel-good policies. Feel-good policies are designed to make people more comfortable and let decision-makers sleep better at night because the intention is there.

Some examples from casino reopenings are:

  • Plexiglass dividers at table games while cards and chips pass back and forth.
  • Temperature checks, even though not everyone develops a fever and asymptomatic transmission is likely possible.
  • 6’ social distancing rules that are hard to abide by and are being ignored.
  • Voluntary, or loosely enforced rules on face coverings.

Plexiglass, temperature checks, and unenforceable policies are the casino industry’s kubaton – the small metal stick people attach to their keychains as a self-defense tool. But as the Hard2Hurt YouTube channel continually points out, if you can stop a violent attack with a kubaton you can almost certainly stop it without it. But possessing it provides peace of mind.

Unfortunately, rather than protecting you, that peace of mind can get you into trouble. Instead of avoiding trouble, you incorrectly believe it doesn’t pertain to you, since you can deal with it thanks to your kubaton acting as a force multiplier.

So, instead of preventing spread, the casino policies towards COVID-19 can provide a similar false sense of security. That could bring people (some high-risk) into a situation they would have otherwise avoided.

The Window of Opportunity Closes Fast

A secondary issue is by the time a flareup is detected, it will already be too late.

A Columbia University study concluded that 36,000 lives could have been saved had the country closed just a week sooner. The same holds for reopenings. Opening even a week too soon could have dire consequences, not only for virus spread but for the casinos. A second-wave caused by a rush to reopen could result in another shutdown.

That is particularly true in Las Vegas, where casinos are close to one another, and COVID-19 policies differ from property to property.  

In Las Vegas it would be weeks before an outbreak is detected, given:

  • COVID-19’s Incubation period and asymptomatic rate and spread potential;
  • The capability to visit multiple casino properties in a short space of time; and
  • Out-of-state visitors transporting the virus to and from the city.

Will Casinos Remain Open?

The million-dollar question is, will casinos have to shut down again?

I can envision three scenarios:

  • The novel Coronavirus continues to peter-out, or treatments and vaccines are made available, and it naturally fades into the annals of history. Casinos remain open.
  • COVID-19 goes underground during the summer months and reemerges in the fall. This scenario is unavoidable and casinos shutter their doors again.
  • The reopening of casinos and other sectors of the economy causes a now smoldering virus reigniting.  Opening too early directly leads to the second round of casino shutdowns.

In the first scenario, the policies play a minor role in casinos’ ability to stay open.  The virus and science are the key factors.

In the second scenario, policies have no impact. The virus is in complete control.

In the third scenario, reopening too early is a self-inflicted wound.

Bottom line: The safety policies in place won’t stop the spread of Coronavirus in a meaningful way. On the other hand, by reopening too soon, casinos could contribute to the second-wave.

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