TAMPA, Fla. — For months now, the National Football League and Tampa Bay leaders reiterated their commitment to putting on a safe Super Bowl.
In many ways, they kept up their promise by requiring all fans to wear face coverings at the game and Super Bowl events along the Tampa Riverwalk. The NFL handed out hand sanitizer and wipes at the game and put a cap on crowds at the NFL Experience and the game itself.
However, when the clocked ticked down to zero at the Super Bowl, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were named world champions in their home stadium, the party seemed to outweigh the pandemic.
Crowds of people jammed together in the streets, many without face masks, to celebrate the historic victory.
"It’s always going to be a concern. If we can get the majority of individuals wearing their masks then we can tamp down and contain the spread of COVID-19," said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor on Monday morning.
By Tuesday, a Florida Department of Health spokesperson said the department is asking for back-up in anticipation of a COVID-19 outbreak linked to the big game, and the many events associated with the Super Bowl.
In an email, the spokesperson said, "The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County has put out a national call requesting information on COVID-19 cases associated with Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Florida."
The statement went on to say, "Each jurisdiction is asked to utilize Epi-X, which is the CDC’s epidemiology disease sharing network. DOH-Hillsborough will document all cases, whether a Florida resident or visitor, who tested positive for COVID-19 and reported attending Super Bowl LV and/or attended any official pre/post Super Bowl events in Tampa."
Sarasota Memorial Hospital, roughly 65 miles from Raymond James Stadium, is also preparing for a super surge caused by the Super Bowl.
Kim Savage, the Public Information Officer with the hospital said, "It is disheartening to see the large crowds of people gathering without masks or any regard for social distancing."
"We are concerned and preparing for the possibility that some of these Super Bowl gatherings could be super spreader events and trigger another surge in about 2 weeks," said Savage.
A spokesperson with BayCare Health System based in Clearwater didn't comment on the Super Bowl specifically but said in an e-mail, "As we continue through the COVID-19 pandemic, BayCare remains prepared to respond in the event of a future surge. As a large health system, we have the capacity and resources that we can shift where they are needed to respond and help care for the community."
The mayor of Tampa issued an outdoor mandatory mask order last month for areas around Super Bowl events including Raymond James Stadium and the Tampa Riverwalk and much of downtown.
10 Tampa Bay reached out to the NFL for comment. A spokesperson sent us the following via e-mail:
A post-Super Bowl program was something that had been planned and is a continuation of what occured throughout the 2020 NFL season. The league and clubs worked with public health officials to trace cases for the 116 regular and postseason games with more than 1.2 million fans safely in attendance. For the Super Bowl, in addition to continued tracking, we are working with the CDC on post-event follow-up surveys for the 7,500 vaccinated health care workers the league gave free tickets to regarding their experience and any subsequent COVID-related health issues.
In the months prior to the Super Bowl, the NFL worked extensively with local, county, state and federal public health authorities and officials, including the CDC, to develop comprehensive protocols to host fans in a safe and responsible way and protect the public. These public health officials reviewed and provided feedback on the NFL’s plans that built upon protocols NFL clubs employed to safely host fans throughout the season.
During the season, the clubs and league tracked with public health authorities COVID cases in the 10 days prior to a game, gameday and the following 10 days. We engaged a third-party research firm to track the data with the clubs and the local public health officials. There were no clusters of positive cases attributed to NFL games. This is a testament to our fans, who have been diligent in mask-wearing and physical distancing, in compliance with the protocols.
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