Health experts concerned Super Bowl gatherings could increase COVID case numbers

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION) Health officials across the nation are concerned Super Bowl parties could turn into super spreader events.

On the Central Coast, Medical Director of Infection Prevention Dr. Martha Blum told KION the Super Bowl is a high risk event for potentially causing local numbers to increase again. We’re finally starting to see case numbers go down after the impacts of holiday gatherings.

"Any occasion that brings large groups of people together where they’re gonna be eating and drinking and shouting and laughing, all those good things, unfortunately, are the same things that can contribute to more widespread virus transmission," Dr. Blum said.

Health officials warned against gathering for the Super Bowl in the days leading up to game day.

"When people are, you know, had a few drinks, they're projecting their voices, they're having, you know–eating those chicken wings? That is a recipe for spreading COVID," California State Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris said.

Now, health experts are concerned the effects of Super Bowl parties could last well past the big game.

“In this case, the week after the Super Bowl, we would start to see increasing numbers of people testing positive and then shortly thereafter we could start to see the most vulnerable people hospitalized again,” Dr. Blum said.

She said although we have lower case numbers in recent weeks, that can quickly change.

“We’re only now just beginning to see a sigh of relief from getting through the holidays. That’s how long it took for that increase in cases to plate and come down,” Blum said.

If you attended a large gathering, Dr. Blum recommends monitoring yourself closely for any covid-related symptoms, even as small as a scratchy throat or feeling tired.

“If you have known contact with somebody who was diagnosed with COVID-19, you really need to quarantine yourself, avoid contact with people and get yourself tested within a couple days of having been exposed because that’s how this whole chain of transmission starts.”

KION is told if we start to see more transmission, it would probably be detected within a week after the Super Bowl.