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Public Health Officials Prep For Super Bowl 53
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The upcoming Super Bowl has the highest security rating for events, SEAR 1, meaning it's a potential target for terrorism or other criminal activity, health officials said Tuesday.
Officials with the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Secret Service will take charge of security, Georgia public health emergency preparedness Director Scott Minarcine said.
"The law enforcement community is most concerned about mass casualty planning," Minarcine said. "Things like active shooters or detonation of explosive devices."
While no active warnings or intelligence suggests an event is likely, Minarcine said the planning is based on historical trends and incidents that have occurred nationally over the last several years.
Federal officials are coordinating with the state health department, and expect 150,000 people to visit from out of town. More than 1 million people are expected to attend events over the 10 days leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, Minarcine said.
Other public health concerns involve communicable diseases and food-borne illness that become more common when large groups of people congregate. There is a massive surge in the need for food inspection from hundreds of vendors partnered for the Super Bowl.