ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Fans who headed out to area bars and restaurants may have seen some unannounced guests joining in as Orange County COVID strike teams visited businesses once again Sunday, during the most-watched sporting event the year. 

“We’re going to be looking for compliance out there, we certainly hope that people adhere to protocols if you are going to be out and about. And we’ll see what happens when we get out there,” said Tim Boldig, Orange County Strike Teams lead and deputy director of Orange County Planning, Environmental and Development Services. 

Just as the Chiefs and the Bucs got suited up for the big game, Orange County’s strike teams too hit the field, looking to see if businesses are complying with CDC safety guidelines on Super Bowl Sunday. 

Boldig says 99% of the businesses they stop by are taking necessary steps.

“Unfortunately, there’s the few, as the mayor would say, ‘the bad actors’ out there that don’t seem to want to be in compliance. We’ll keep going out there, we’ll keep visiting,” Boldig said. 

Nyesha Carey was out and about Sunday night, but she said it was less about the game and more for her own sanity.

“Absolutely I have to get outside of the four walls of my house,” she said.

But Carey said she and her party were looking to make sure a business is following COVID-19 safe protocols before going inside.

“Whether or not they’re wearing masks, whether or not there’s hand sanitizer present,” she said.

Just last weekend, four bars were given $300 citations: Knight’s Pub, Knight Library and Infynity Knight Club near the University of Central Florida as well as Tin Roof on International Drive.

Strike teams stated that they saw more than 100 people waiting in line, many without masks at Knight’s Pub.

And teams from Knight Library reported people walking around without masks and no social distancing.

Boldig said while they’re hopeful that the vaccine rollout will get this nearly year-long pandemic into the end-zone once and for all, he said we’re not there yet. And that’s why they’re sending crews out to make sure everyone is being safe, even on Super Bowl Sunday.

“The numbers are coming down. We’re in that final stretch. This is the chance to keep pushing through and hopefully keep those numbers coming down, but everybody’s got to participate,” Boldig said. 

Carey says it’s comforting knowing they’re out there doing this kind of work.

“I absolutely love that because it keeps us on our toes, and it makes sure we’re not getting lackadaisical with the actual virus,” she said.