With just 10 days to go before Super Bowl LVI, host city officials are urging fans to strictly adhere to pandemic safety protocols… ie: WEAR A MASK
The Los Angeles area continues to see high levels of COVID-19 infections, and ticket holders ages 5 and older must show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter. Under a Los Angeles County health order, masks are required at all times, with limited exceptions.
The biggest challenge at the Super Bowl might not be on the field, with officials acknowledging there was no way to constantly police 70,000 people. At the championship game Sunday at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, where the Super Bowl will be played, thousands of fans openly disregarded the mask mandate. Among them, several high-ranking officials were photographed maskless at the championship game over the weekend, drawing harsh criticisms from the public.
Including Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, who took a maskless photo with Magic Johnson, defying COVID rules. He later defended the move by saying he had held his breath… huh? You didn’t breathe?
Hanging out at SoFi Stadium today! pic.twitter.com/XfotiRLGz9
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) January 31, 2022
Los Angeles County has imposed some of the most restrictive pandemic rules in the nation, yet it also has seen among the highest rates for infections and deaths in the state of 40 million.
Los Angeles Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said her office continues to review pandemic data and she didn’t rule out the possibility that the county could drop or amend the mask rule, with the Super Bowl more than a week away…Still, she indicated that might be unlikely.