Las Vegas might be the Entertainment Capital of the World, but because of the pandemic, there’s no entertainment to be had.

COVID-19 is set to be one of the leading causes of death across the country this year.

COVID-19 has claimed 1,000 lives in Nevada, making it one of the leading causes of death in the state and far outpacing the flu and pneumonia combined.

The stories often begin the same way: A family party, a holiday hangout or dinner at a friend’s house, the kind of once-innocuous gatherings no one would have batted an eye about attending six months ago.

Over the past few months, the world has had a front-row seat to watch public health in action. The COVID-19 pandemic is the lead story in every newspaper and on every TV news show. People follow daily case counts like they are following a sports team. I don’t expect little kids to tell their parents that they want to grow up to be an epidemiologist, but it is nice for public health to be able step out of the shadows for a moment.

Wearing a mask in public, especially when social distancing is not feasible, is one of the main ways people can help slow the spread of coronavirus. But are certain masks better than others?

COVID-19 is set to be one of the leading causes of death across the country this year.

Welcome to the 18th installment of “Coronavirus Contextualized,” a recurring feature in which we explore some of the numbers swirling around in the time of coronavirus.