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. Washoe County, which includes the Reno-Sparks area, is the second most-impacted county. , there have been 904,681 cases and 12,176 deaths reported in Nevada, and the state has fully vaccinated 1,818,779 residents.

Timeline 2020 On March 5, 2020, Nevada reported its first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a Las Vegas resident in his 50s who had recently traveled to Washington, the first state infected by the virus. Nevada governor Steve Sisolak declared a state of emergency one week later, because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. He also formed a medical advisory team. Nevada reported its first COVID-19 death on March 16, 2020. A day later, Sisolak ordered non-essential businesses in the state to close for 30 days, to prevent the spread of the virus. Casinos were among businesses ordered to shut down. Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman opposed the length of his shutdown order, and would become a critic of his actions during the pandemic, urging him to reopen the state.

The business closures went into effect on March 18, 2020, and were later extended. Grocery stores, hardware stores, pharmacies, banks, and gas stations were among businesses considered essential. Police, fire, and healthcare services continued operations as well, along with construction sites. Sisolak also banned gatherings of 10 people or more, in an effort to further prevent the spread of coronavirus. On April 1, 2020, he extended the closure of non-essential businesses through the end of the month, in accordance with new federal guidelines issued by the White House Coronavirus Task Force. He also issued a statewide directive urging residents to stay home, except for essential reasons such as healthcare visits and buying food. The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved a major disaster declaration for Nevada.

In mid-April 2020, Mayor Goodman called Sisolak's shutdown "total insanity" and urged him to reopen the state. Over the next several weeks, conservatives and supporters of Donald Trump's presidency held protests in several cities, also urging Sisolak to reopen the state.Retrieved May 13, 2020: However, Sisolak said various conditions had to be met first.

In an interview on April 23, 2020, Goodman again said the closure should be ended, and received wide criticism after suggesting that Las Vegas become a control group to test the effectiveness of social distancing. Shortly thereafter, former professional poker player Doug Polk launched a recall effort against Goodman, stating that she "failed to responsibly represent her constituency" and demonstrated a "clear disregard" for public health. The effort was ultimately unsuccessful, due to a rise in COVID-19 cases and the fact that in-person signatures are required.

At the end of April 2020, Nevada joined the Western States Pact, a group of neighboring states working together on how to proceed with reopening. Meanwhile, cases and deaths had leveled out in the state. Phase one of Nevada's reopening began on May 9, 2020. It included restaurants and retailers, which could operate with precautions in place, such as 50-percent occupancy. Phase two went into effect on May 29, 2020. It included the reopening of bars, bowling alleys, gyms, movie theaters, pools, spas, state parks, and tattoo shops. Sisolak also increased public gathering limits to 50 people.

Casinos were allowed to reopen on June 4, 2020. Increased COVID-19 testing and the reopening of businesses contributed to a rise in cases later that month. Sisolak postponed plans for a phase three of reopening, and he instituted a face mask mandate at the end of the month. In August 2020, Sisolak unveiled a new plan for dealing with outbreaks, such as determining their cause and shutting down facilities where they originate. He said the plan would move away from the system of phased openings: "While phases made sense at the time, we've got to remain flexible and responsive to what we're seeing now."

The number of hospitalizations and new daily cases dropped beginning in August 2020, but saw a resurgence two months later. The spike was attributed to residents who had grown tired of following COVID-19 precautions. In November 2020, Sisolak strongly urged residents to stay home as much as possible with a 14-day proposal called Stay at Home 2.0, saying severe business lockdowns would occur if cases did not decline. Non-residents were still welcome to visit the state because of its tourism dependency. A few days after the proposal was made, Sisolak tested positive for the virus.

Cases continued a dramatic rise, prompting a three-week "pause" from Sisolak just before Thanksgiving. He noted that 10 percent of the state's total COVID-19 cases had been reported in the past week. Under the new restrictions, certain businesses – including casinos, restaurants, bars, and gyms – would have their operating capacity reduced to 25 percent. Public gatherings would be reduced from 250 people to 50, or 25 percent of a building's capacity. Private gatherings were reduced back to 10 people. Sisolak also restricted Thanksgiving gatherings to 10 people, from a maximum of two households. Since the start of the pandemic, state hospitalizations had reached their highest level ever, with 97 percent occurring in Clark and Washoe County. At that time, the majority of cases were affecting people in their 20s and 30s. Goodman criticized Sisolak's latest orders, calling him a "dictator" and stating that his actions would further harm the Las Vegas economy.

Nevada continued to experience record-high hospitalizations during December 2020, more than doubling the number of hospitalized patients from a month prior. The state's positivity rate also reached record highs at more than 20 percent, among the highest in the U.S.; the ideal rate would be below 5 percent. COVID-19 vaccinations began in the state on December 14, 2020, and Sisolak announced a four-week extension of his recent pause as it neared its originally scheduled end. On December 19, 2020, the state surpassed 200,000 cases, doubling the number from seven weeks earlier. Hospitals continued their struggle to keep up with COVID-19 patients, and the state surpassed 3,000 deaths at the end of the month.

2021 Hospitalizations saw a decline during early January 2021, although the number of daily cases and deaths had reached record highs. Health officials were concerned that cases may rise further, as a result of recent Christmas and New Year's Eve gatherings. Sisolak extended his pause for another 30 days. The state reported its 4,000th death before the end of the month, although cases and hospitalizations began a decline.

Sisolak scaled back his November restrictions in mid-February 2021. Capacity limits increased to 35 percent for some businesses – including casinos, restaurants, and gyms – and 50 percent for others, such as libraries, museums, and zoos. Public gatherings increased to 100 people or 35 percent of a building's capacity, whichever is less. Private gatherings expanded to 25 people for outdoor events but remained at a 10-person limit for indoor gatherings. On March 15, 2021, statewide business capacity was increased to 50 percent. Las Vegas showed significant signs of returning to normalcy, as conditions continued to improve.

Control over pandemic restrictions was transferred from the state to local counties on May 1, 2021, with Clark County increasing business capacity to 80 percent. Shortly thereafter, the mask mandate was eased based on new CDC guidance, exempting them from being worn by the fully-vaccinated when in outdoor public spaces. Clark County ended all other COVID-19 restrictions on June 1, 2021. Statewide cases and hospitalizations began to rise later that month, due to vaccine hesitancy and the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. By July 2021, Nevada's infection rate was among the worst in the U.S.Retrieved August 24, 2021: Face masks were mandated again for indoor settings, in counties where the infection rate was high. Clark County saw a particularly high number of cases, due to its population density, low vaccination rates, and tourism industry.

The Delta variant caused an increase in the number of breakthrough infections, and Nevada sought federal assistance for testing and vaccination efforts. Goodman was among those who contracted the virus, despite being vaccinated. The rise in cases and hospitalizations continued into August 2021, with the Delta variant accounting for nearly all cases. Statewide, cases began a decline in September 2021, following increased vaccination efforts. While cases of the Delta variant declined in most of the state, they remained high in rural areas, putting a strain on hospitals. The state reported its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in December 2021, leading to another surge in cases carrying into the following year.

2022–present