Following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers victory over the Kansas City Chiefs (31-9) to win Super Bowl LV, fans rushed to bars and packed South Tampa streets to celebrate the win, according to Fox 35 Orlando.
Experts are concerned even as the US has emerged from the worst surge in deaths, hospitalizations, and infections of COVID-19, last night's event across Tampa could spark additional infections in the coming weeks.
Thousands of Buccaneer fans packed streets along South Howard Avenue, many without face masks nor properly social distancing, as they celebrated last night's big win.
"Celebrations getting a little wild downtown," tweeted Fox 13's Gloria Gomez.
Celebrations getting a little wild downtown pic.twitter.com/efc1ghfZ7y
— Gloria Gomez, FOX 13 (@ggome13)
Many maskless fans packed the streets of South Tampa.
Florida is going to kill us all
— Molly Jong-Fast🏡 (@MollyJongFast)
pic.twitter.com/QDxLQ9oqMX
Bars and restaurants were crowded.
Packed bars and restaurants in Tampa tonight for Super Bowl LV #Tampa #SuperBowl #TampaBay #SuperBowlLV pic.twitter.com/2HjmWNZw93
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene)
Noone got the mask memo.
Celebrations are breaking out in Tampa following the Buccaneers' Super Bowl victory Sunday night — but it doesn't seem like everyone got the mask memo 😬 pic.twitter.com/q0sj3WzK8M
— NowThis (@nowthisnews)
"Of 3.1 mil Tampa Bay residents, about 82k are vaccinated. UK variant will be dominant here in 2 wks. Zero Covid restrictions. Full capacity restaurants/bars. No enforceable mask mandates. The photo is from 2 AM this morning. It'll be worse tonight. A lot of residents are concerned," one Twitter user said.
Fans climbed on top of a city bus to celebrate the win.
Ahead of the Super Bowl, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden's chief medical adviser for COVID-19, warned Americans against gathering for Super Bowl parties with people outside their bubble, especially in areas with poor ventilation.
"You're really putting yourself and your family in danger," Fauci told MSNBC on Friday.
