Super Bowl, a coronavirus superspreading event
The last few days brought encouraging signs, and troubling ones, on the pandemic front, underscoring the fragility of the moment with Covid-19. The nation reported fewer cases and hospitalizations, and more vaccines in the pipeline and more shots into arms, reflecting a ramped-up federal effort and greater coordination with the states. But images of the Super Bowl weekend in Tampa Bay also captured a frustrating picture, with hordes of fans partying without masks at events across town. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor will need to ensure that any celebration honoring the champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers is safe and socially responsible.
After a slow rollout, and weeks of uncertainty, the effort to vaccinate Americans is gaining speed and coordination. Some 4 million more vaccinations were reported over the weekend, with nearly one in 10 Americans having now received at least one dose. At the same time, the Associated Press reported, the number of newly recorded cases fell to their lowest levels in three months, to an average of 117,000 per day, a steep drop from the peak of nearly 250,000 daily in January. The number of Americans hospitalized with Covid-19 has also fallen, to about 81,000, down from more than 130,000 in January. And positive trends are also showing in Florida, which reported 7,023 new cases Tuesday, fewer than half the number of some peak days in January.
Experts say the drop in new infections and hospitalizations reflects an easing of the post-holiday surge. And they come as the new Biden administration has more fully mobilized the government and private industry.
While the momentum is building, only about 3 percent of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated, a far cry from the 70 percent or more needed to tame the pandemic. That's why continued precautions and restrictions in public are key to any vaccination strategy. The Florida Department of Health has rightly asked other agencies across the country to help track coronavirus cases tied to the Super Bowl. Jurisdictions are being asked to use a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention network to document cases of those who test positive for Covid-19 and who attended a Super Bowl function in the Tampa area.
... Castor, to her credit, has led by example in consistently advocating responsible behavior in public. She and other officials must ensure that any celebration of the home team doesn't become a source point for greater public misery. Everyone has a part to play in keeping these hopeful trends moving in the right direction.