Super Bowl LV may become a superspreader event for the coronavirus pandemic in Tampa, Florida. The city hosting the big game is facing crowded streets, packed bars and little regard for safety measures. Photos and videos emerging from the scene paint a terrifying picture of the public health crisis to come.
The Tampa Bay Times published a one-minute video of a crowded street in Ybor City on Saturday night, where few people in the crowd wore face masks. None seemed to be observing social distancing guidelines, as the streets were packed shoulder to shoulder — presumably with football fans anticipating the big game on Sunday. According to the outlet, these crowds are bigger and rowdier than the ones that swarmed the streets on New Year’s Eve, and the chances of COVID-19 spreading among revelers is high.
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Tampa city officials have tried to enforce coronavirus safety measures this weekend, but with little success. Mayor Jane Castor reportedly ordered that people wear masks in some public spaces, targetting the ones she expected to get high foot traffic this weekend. Crowds appear to be ignoring that rule, and police in videos published so far have done nothing to intervene.
The Times’ Luis Santana estimated that the crowds on the street this weekend numbered in the tens of thousands, and that is not even accounting for the risky activities going on indoors. According to a report by ABC News, local bars and venues flouted restrictions on occupancy, mask mandates and dance floor prohibitions this weekend. Headlining performers like DJ Steve Aoki, Migos and Diplo all took part in the mask-free festivities.
“You’ve got venues that are operating at 100 percent capacity, stuffing their places,” said the owner of The Crowbar in Ybor City, Tom DeGeorge. “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see a line that’s two blocks long and know there’s going to [be] a dance floor inside. Shut them down.”
So far, police and city officials have declined to comment on these alleged breaches in coronavirus policy, even when photos and videos are emerging on social media. The Tampa Police Department did issue a general statement on the phenomenon, saying: “Scenes from Ybor last night and a few other clubs were incredibly disappointing. The city spent the better part of a year educating residents on precautions due to the pandemic and have recently put a mask order in place for both the entertainment and event zones to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors to our great city.”
