Officials urge mask-wearing for fans attending Super Bowl
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(NewsNation Now) — An estimated 150,000 out-of-town visitors are expected to descend on Los Angeles for the Big Game, posing a considerable threat to public health given the ongoing spread of COVID-19 across America.
The city has been dealing with local health leaders call “Extraordinarily high transmission rates,” but just in time for Super Bowl LVI, key indicators show the omicron variant is in decline on the California coast.
“It takes a lot of work to continue to decline to get us to where we can really say we have low to moderate rates of transmission,” said Barbara Ferrer, director, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Ferrer says she has implemented a “layered protection policy,” meaning vaccines, testing and masks are prioritized and given free to everyone.
“We are grateful that the NFL again has come here to LA County knowing ahead of time that we were going to ask them to help us layer these protections,” she said.
Key partnerships, like the one with the NFL, will help push that “layer strategy.” Those who receive a free dose of the vaccine at the convention center will get a free ticket to the Super Bowl Experience, an interactive event where fans can get autographs, try out football drills and take pictures with the Lombardi trophy.
Everyone leaving will get an at-home COVID test to take before they head to the game or go to a watch-party with friends. Kn95 masks will be placed on every seat of SoFi Stadium.
While the LAPD and the county sheriff have been shorthanded for weeks with officers quarantining from COVID-19, federal partners like the FBI, Secret Service and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol will provide extra security in the days and weeks leading up to the big game.
“We have made sure that we always have an abundance of caution, and we always follow the science and the medicine,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
City officials said they would support throwing a parade for the Rams if they win the Super Bowl, but it would have to figure out what the proper spacing and route would need to be to keep everyone safe.
