Some of the biggest streamers met in Florida for a big party: Nickmercs, TimTheTatman, SypherPK, Cloakyz, and others celebrated a barbecue party in Tampa with 10,000 fans. However, critics find the behavior of the streamers irresponsible: The images of the celebration looked as though the organizers had paid no attention to COVID.
This was the event:
- The Twitch streamer Nicholas “NICKMERCS” Kolcheff called for the “MFAM BBQ 2021,” a barbecue event at a baseball field in Tampa, Florida, where there was food and alcohol served. The event was sponsored by a financial app. According to Nickmercs, 10,000 people attended the celebration.
- Prior to the event, it was said that there was no mask mandate, but wearing a mask was strongly recommended.
- Photos from the event show a large crowd, with only a few protecting themselves with a mask. This sparked discussions.
Florida with 345 incidence rate, yet no mask requirement at the barbecue party
How severe is COVID in Florida? According to statistics from Florida, the 7-day incidence rate of new infections in the state at the time of the event was 345. The vaccination rate among the overall population is 70%. However, among 20-29-year-olds, it is only 51% (via doh.state.fl). They probably represent the main target group of Nickmercs’s event.
In comparison: In Germany, the 7-day incidence rate according to the Robert Koch Institute is 71.0.
– the Robert Koch Institute
– the World Health Organization
What measures against COVID were taken at the event? The organizer’s notes about the event mainly revolved around fun, commerce, and organizational details.
Only one point in the FAQ of the event’s website addressed the COVID pandemic. There, the organizers write that wearing a mask is not currently mandated. However, it is “strongly recommended” to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status.
Looking at the images, hardly anyone adhered to the recommendation. Especially the big influencers, who should certainly fulfill a role model function, are not seen with a mask in any of the pictures. Things like “maintaining distance” also seem to be of no concern to anyone.
This is the discussion: On September 18, Nickmercs posted several pictures from the barbecue party: You see people closely packed together cheering for the camera, with the influencer in the front. Only very few individuals are wearing masks.
Many fans are celebrating the event, calling Nickmercs a legend and are happy that he put it together.
However, there are also some who point out the risk that such an event could become a “super-spreading” event for the COVID virus:
- “No chance they checked everyone’s vaccination status when you can’t see a single mask. Super-irresponsible. You guys should really know better.”
- Another asks: “So COVID doesn’t exist anymore, huh?”
Nickmercs has not commented on the criticism on Twitter. He primarily talks with fans there and regrets that he didn’t have the time to engage in detailed conversations with everyone.
Just a few days ago, we reported on MeinMMO about a Minecraft streamer. He urged his fans to get vaccinated even from his hospital bed:
Twitch streamer who played Minecraft (36) dies from complications with COVID-19
The title image is from Nickmercs’s Twitter account.
