Ten Tips for a Safe Super Bowl Gathering

When Super Bowl LV kicks off in Tampa this Sunday, history will be made on several fronts. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Kansas City Chiefs as the first team to ever compete for the championship in their home stadium. It will also be the first time the Super Bowl is being played in the middle of a global pandemic.

Because of the health and safety protocols, Super Bowl LV will also have the distinction of being the lowest attended in history. To allow for social distancing, the National Football League (NFL) capped the number of fans allowed at Raymond James Stadium at 22,000, even though the facility can seat 65,000. Of those in attendance, 7,500 are vaccinated healthcare workers from across the country who were lucky enough to receive free tickets from the NFL, including 10 representatives from Baptist Health.

So, with most of America left to watch the game at home, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the following tips to keep you and your loved ones safe as COVID-19 continues to be prevalent in our communities:

1. Consider hosting a virtual Super Bowl watch party. Decorate your home and wear your favorite team’s logo or colors.
2. If you host an event, have conversations with guests ahead of time to set expectations for a safe gathering.
3. Limit the number of guests to allow people to remain at least six feet apart.
4. Host outdoor gatherings when possible with family and friends who live in your community.
5. Encourage everyone to wear masks and have extra unused masks available for your guests.
6. If gathering indoors, increase ventilation by opening windows and doors or by placing central air and heating on continuous circulation.
7. Encourage guests to wash hands often. Have a separate space for guests to wash their hands, or provide hand sanitizer.
8. Encourage guests to bring food and drinks for their household and limit crowding in areas where food is served.
9. Keep background music volume low so guests don’t need to shout.
10. Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces and any shared items.

And most importantly, cancel your gathering if you or someone who lives with you is sick or has been near someone who thinks they have or has COVID-19.

To see the CDC’s complete list of suggestions for small gatherings, click HERE.