Facts

LA officials warn football fans to avoid Super Bowl LV parties

By Brittany Roston/

Super Bowl LV takes place later today, marking the biggest US sporting event of the year. Traditionally speaking, the day is marked by large gatherings and parties complete with food and loud shouting. As much fun as that may be, Los Angeles officials are encouraging football fans to skip the festivities this year, and you already know why.

The warning comes from Los Angeles County public health officials and is directed at LA residents, but it's good advice for anyone in the US. Though case levels vary based on state and city, most of the US public remains unvaccinated and new cases continue to roll in. The CDC has repeatedly warned the public to avoid gatherings and, in some places, such get-togethers could result in a fine.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health noted in its advisory that there's a particularly good reason to avoid Super Bowl parties, stating, "Gathering with people outside of your household, especially in settings where people are shouting, chanting, or singing and not distancing can easily lead to increased cases of COVID-19, serious illness, and more deaths.'

Instead of having a traditional Super Bowl party, officials encourage football fans to only physically gather with the people in their household and to have everyone else participate using video chatting applications like Zoom or Google Meet.

The department's director of public health Barbara Ferrer said:

I want to remind everyone how important it is to celebrate the Super Bowl only with members of your household. This fall and winter, we learned painful and tragic lessons about how gatherings and celebrations lead to transmission of COVID-19 that ultimately results in a great deal of serious illness and death.

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