Fauci warned against gathering for Super Bowl celebrations this year during a Feb. 3 interview with Today. “As much fun as it is to get together for a big Super Bowl party, now is not the time to do that,” he said. “Watch the game, enjoy it, but do it with your family or people that are in your household.” The White House adviser reiterated this warning when speaking to Good Morning America on Feb. 3. “You don’t want parties with people that you haven’t had much contact with, you just don’t know if they’re infected. So as difficult as that is, at least this time around, just lay low and cool it,” Fauci urged. And for more reasons to stay home, This Is Where You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID, New Study Says. As Fauci further explained during his Today interview, the country has seen significant increases in COVID cases due to past celebrations, and Super Bowl parties are likely to have the same result. “Every time we do have something like this, there always is a spike, be it a holiday, Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving,” he said. “Super Bowl is a big deal in the United States.” According to case data from The New York Times, following Thanksgiving celebrations, case numbers in the U.S. rose above 200,000 per day for the first time. Then, following Christmas and New Year’s gatherings, case counts reached higher than 300,000 on Jan. 8—the highest daily case count for one day during the entire pandemic. And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. The U.S. has recently been inundated with new strains of the coronavirus. While mutations are normal for any virus, these new variants are raising concern for their transmissibility and antibody resistance—which may make a severe form of the virus easier to catch during a 2021 Super Bowl celebration. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are three concerning variants that are already in the country: U.K. strain B.1.1.7, South Africa strain B.1.351, and Brazil strain P.1. The U.K. variant is reportedly at least 50 percent more transmissible and associated with an increased risk of death, while both the South Africa strain and Brazil strain may make current COVID vaccines less effective against the virus. And for more on the new variants, If You Have These 4 Symptoms, You Might Have the New COVID Strain.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb The CDC recently updated its guidelines to advise against Super Bowl parties. “Attending large gatherings like the Super Bowl increases your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19,” the CDC states on its website. According to the agency, the safest way to watch the Super Bowl is at home with people you live with, as Fauci said. However, if you do attend a gathering, the CDC asks that you follow some of the precautions: avoid crowding and congested areas, avoid chanting or cheering, limit alcohol consumption, wear a mask, and minimize your time with others. And for more advice on staying healthy, If Your Mask Doesn’t Have These 4 Things, Get a New One, Doctor Says.
