As the coronavirus pandemic continues across Chicago, city officials reminded residents to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday safely.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady on Friday advised people to follow safety precautions, especially while the city is seeing the lowest COVID-19 positivity rates since October.
“We have made so much progress in recent weeks – now is not the time to let down our guard,” Lightfoot said. “I’ll be watching the game with my wife and daughter at home, and I call on all Chicagoans to do the same and avoid gatherings. Let’s not make the Super Bowl a super-spreader event!”
City officials reminded that traditional Super Bowl gatherings have potential to be super-spreader events for the coronavirus, which is why they are urging residents order take-out from a local bar or restaurant, as well as avoid mixed-household parties.
According to Lightfoot and Arwady, the best way to avoid indoor gatherings with people outside of the household. However, if guests are indoors, health officials said people should maintain six feet of distance and wear face coverings.
"While Super Bowl parties of any kind are strongly discouraged, Chicagoans are reminded that, per health order, indoor residential gatherings must be limited to no more than ten individuals," a release said.
Because the city in is Phase 4 coroanavirus mitigations, the following regulations apply if going to bars or restaurants:
- Six people per table
- Six feet of distance between tables
- Indoor capacity limited to the lesser of 25% or 25 individuals
Business Affairs and Consumer Protection workers will be visiting entertainment establishments throughout the city of Chicago prior to the big event Sunday, according to a release.
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The Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to meet head-to-head in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay this Sunday.
This Super Bowl matchup features two quarterbacks with the largest age gap ever to play in the big game - 18 years and 45 days. The Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes II is 25-years-old while his opponent Tom Brady, playing in his first year with the Buccaneers, is 43-years-old.
The 2021 game is the first time that a team will play for the championship Vince Lombardi trophy at their home stadium.
Should the Chiefs be victorious, the franchise would celebrate its third Super Bowl win and back-to-back championships.
Brady is playing to win his 7th Super Bowl ring, and if he's successful, he will add to his tally and would hold the most Super Bowl wins by any player in the National Football League.
If Tampa Bay wins, it would be their second Super Bowl title in franchise history. The first of which was Super Bowl XXXVII. Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians could be come the oldest head coach to win a Super Bowl at 68 years-old.
This year, there's a first for the officiating crew. The first woman to officiate a Super Bowl game happens this year as referee Sarah Thomas takes to the field.
