Oct. 1, 2021—Organizers of the SEMA Show are letting attendees know that mask requirements will likely be in place for the November event, but the show will not require COVID-19 vaccines or proof of a negative test.
The indoor masking protocol is based on a Nevada requirement, which is triggered in counties with high transmission of COVID-19. Currently, all of the state's counties are in that classification. SEMA Show organizers don't expect that to change before the event.
"Forecasts indicate that masks will continue to be required indoors when the SEMA Show is held in Las Vegas in early November," according to a press release.
While SEMA says that it is acting in response to state and local guidelines, Nevada put an incentive in place for events to voluntarily require proof of a vaccination or a negative test in order to forego the mask requirement. Organizations like the Las Vegas Raiders did so, as well as the trade shows like CES and The Global Gaming Expo.
AAPEX, which takes place at the same time as the SEMA Show, will also require proof of vaccination or a negative test. The SEMA Show has not said that it will put a vaccine or test requirement in place.
According to local data from Sept. 28, average cases of COVID-19 in Clark County are higher than the same time last year, when the in-person SEMA Show was canceled. The seven-day average of deaths from COVID-19 are also higher than last year, and the rate of hospitalization is the same. Clark County includes Las Vegas.
