Super Bowl festivities dampened by COVID-19
[VINCENT GUNNEOS, ENGLISH TEACHER AND CHIEFS FAN] “...I probably will be very picky about what type of bar and atmosphere I'm in. If it's not the right situation for me, I'll probably be watching it from the hotel room in the bedroom."
As the city of Tampa Bay gets set to host Super Bowl LV Sunday between the hometown Buccaneers and the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, fans of the Big Game are trying to find ways to celebrate their team while also being safe, as COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the U.S.
[JOE BRYANT, LAWYER FROM TAMPA AND BUCS FAN] "We're not sure what to do. We cannot lockdown with more than ten people. We want to watch the game together in Tampa, but we're precluded. I'm not sure what we're going to do, but we're going to find a way…”
Inside Raymond James Stadium, capacity will be limited to 22,000 general admission fans on game day, with an additional 2,700 allowed for the high-end box suites.
Masks and social distancing will also be enforced in and outside of the stadium.
Masks were also a requirement at the NFL's various outdoor fan experience zones throughout the city. Hundreds of fans walked through the zones on Friday, participating in football drills and other offerings.
[MARGE WOLFER, RETIREE AND PART-TIME CHIEFS EMPLOYEE] “...this is all safe down here. Everybody is wearing their mask, and every time you touch something, somebody is cleaning that up. It is the safest place ever, even when you eat at restaurants.”
Enforcing the rules will be a burden for local businesses owners as well.
Gio Cruz, co-owner of Ducky's Sports Lounge in Tampa, admits that it will be a challenge to ensure that patrons - when not actively eating or drinking - wear a mask at all times.
"We're going to do our best, so we hired ten security. We have two off-duty cops at all times. What we're going to try to always tell people, if you're standing, put your mask on. If you're eating - obviously you can't have a mask, but at all times, be safe. But it's going to make it hard."
More than 440,000 Americans have died from the novel coronavirus, as the United States scrambles to distribute vaccines after a holiday surge in new cases.
