In a sign that the pandemic is not yet over for gamers, two of Detroit’s three casinos have re-instituted mask mandates for patrons. This measure is to be enforced onsite regardless of their vaccination status.
While two casinos – the MGM Grand and MotorCity Casino – today implement this cautious approach, the Greektown Casino has not yet announced a mask mandate.
People attending banquets at the locations, or a concert at the Sound Board Theater performance space at MotorCity, are exempt from the mandates.
The restoration of mask mandates comes amid a rise in Covid-19 cases in the state of Michigan. There has been a spike in cases and a rise in hospitalizations, multiplying concern among local authorities who were already on edge due to the approaching Thanksgiving holidays.
With last week’s CDC data showing Michigan with the highest instances of Covid-19 in the country, any significant wave in Michigan could be devastating and put health infrastructure under severe strain. Just over 50% of the state is fully vaccinated.
In response, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services last week issued a recommendation that all people older than two wear masks at all indoor gatherings. Additionally, it recommended that businesses have their own policies clearly put in place.
This warning was directly responsible for MotorCity putting their mandate in place.
Michigan was at one point the epicenter of the entire pandemic and, to date, has suffered 24,000 deaths as a result of the virus. There were state-wide mask mandates in place, but there were slowly lifted over the course of the spring 2021.
