By Lyda Dok
Super Bowl LVI is set to happen this weekend. The annual game is one of the most popular and highly anticipated events in the nation. However, the excitement around this game has overlooked the fact that the nation is still in an ongoing pandemic.
The event will take place Sunday, Feb. 13, at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA where COVID-19 rates remain high in the Los Angeles area. There have been a total of 2.7 million cases reported and 6,000 new cases reported in Los Angeles County alone.
According to the L.A. County Public Health Department about “1 out of every 4 people are testing positive.” They continue to encourage people to minimize hosting and attending large gatherings, which contradicts what the LA County is doing by hosting the Super Bowl.
The Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals are set to play and thousands of dedicated fans will gather at the stadium. The number of people that will be attending has left the public questioning the safety of this event.
However, NFL officials state they will enforce and ensure crucial COVID-19 regulations and restrictions. All spectators are required to wear their masks at all times and follow all other health and safety protocols set by the stadium.
“We’re working along with everyone here, with the LA County Health Department, to make sure all of our events are being held safely,” said Katie Keenan, the NFL’s senior director of event operations at a media event, according to Fox 5.
Although there are “strict” guidelines and regulations in place, the Super Bowl is still allowing COVID-19 to slide. The Super Bowl will definitely be a hotspot for COVID-19 due to the chance some of the attendees could test positive.
“Because COVID-19 and the omicron variant still pose a threat to public health across the Southland, many people may be tempted to let their guard down as they gather to enjoy the game and social interaction,” said Priscilla Hanudel, an emergency medicine specialist with Kaiser Permanente Southern California.
It seems as if the NFL and stadium officials do not care about the health of the public. This proves how they prioritize money and entertainment more than the well-being of citizens. Los Angeles is already one of the biggest spots for COVID-19 with a 6.4% positive test rate.
It is likely throughout the game, the majority of the public will not wear or continuously remove their mask. They will remove their masks to eat or talk, so I doubt the staff will be able to enforce the mask requirements of thousands of people.
People from out of state are most likely going to attend the game as well. This could become a future problem for stadium officials. Due to the fact that other states have different COVID guidelines and mask mandates. Several states have already lifted the mask mandate including Arizona, Nevada, and Florida.
It’s already difficult enough for restaurants and stores to enforce the COVID regulations in Los Angeles. The county continues to have cases at an all-time high and wants to continue to open up more public places. Some people will not wear their masks nor get vaccinated, making infections inevitable.
The Super Bowl should not be a priority over other events as it caters to those willing to not heed COVID precautions. It could be a costly mistake because the coronavirus still poses a significant threat to our health and we need to be far more cautious in order to protect ourselves.
