‘Hey, we’re in a pandemic’: People seen partying all over Miami on the holiday weekend
COVID, who?
Partiers over the weekend appeared to forget that there was still a worldwide pandemic happening and that vaccines, though on the way, are painfully slow in coming.
Despite the extended 1 a.m. curfew on New Year’s Eve announced by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, many people appeared to ignore it and the coronavirus risk to ring in the new year with some after-hours, eyebrow-raising fun.
While the more responsible stayed home, others were seen on social media maskless at clubs, drinking, dancing and basically doing what Miami is famous for, then documenting it with selfies.
Celebrities like Tyga and his pal/collaborator Chris Brown as well as socialites were out in force, either being tagged, or actually posting for all to see on social media.
On Tyga’s post, the rapper is seen on a stage with a mic with hardly dressed women (but wearing masks) surrounding Kylie Jenner’s ex.
The rapper’s Instagram fans couldn’t resist commenting on the irony of the situation:
“Lol COVID party.”
“Hope ya know covid ain’t going away just because it’s 2021.”
“Hey, we’re in a pandemic.”
As per his Insta, erstwhile local producer Scott Storch was hanging out with Tyga, and Marshmello, who ironically is known for wearing a helmet mask. The DJ is working with Brown and Tyga on the new song “Light it Up.”
Los Angeles bon vivant Prince Fred was all over the place popping bottles.
Fred documented a brutal bout with COVID after traveling to Miami in July, and has told followers he has since tested positive for the antibodies. But according to the CDC, reinfections are still possible. Regardless, Prince Fred was tired from all the going out: On his most recent post, the movie producer was in Miami getting a vitamin-infused IV, thanking nightclub entrepreneur Chris Paciello (Joia Beach Club) for hooking him up, literally.
“It’s unacceptable these parties keep happening in Miami-Dade, when we have new cases every day,” a club promoter who wished to remain anonymous told the Miami Herald on Monday. “I am appalled that restaurants, bars, and clubs are not taking COVID seriously. The rise in cases and deaths is made worse by the influx of visitors coming from cities and states which have strict COVID measures, which make Miami their playground.”
Rapper Nelly held a New Year’s Eve concert inside the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel. The hotel paid for off-duty police to be present at the event, and police “confirmed there were no issues,” a city spokeswoman said.
On Saturday, more of the same maskless, non social distancing nonsense, just during daylight hours. Beaches were jam-packed with residents and tourists, photographs on the Daily Mail showed.
Nightfall brought about the 24-hour closures of popular Miami Beach hangouts Palace, Clevelander South Beach Hotel and Bar and Caffe Milano for playing music above ambient levels, in violation of a local COVID order. The city’s code officers also shut down Club Madonna and Miami Live for staying open past curfew.
“The city’s Phase 3 Opening Orders say that restaurants and other food service establishments are permitted to only ambient level music (or live entertainment), but the volume of such music (or live entertainment) shall not exceed the level of a normal conversation,” the city spokeswoman wrote in an email.
Palace drag performer Tiffany Fantasia posted a video on Facebook accusing the city of closing the businesses due to the recent “bad publicity” the city has experienced due to parties in South Beach’s entertainment district.
“Apparently they’ve been going down the line, shutting businesses down,” Fantasia said.
While California has the worst diagnosis rate in the United States, Florida is hardly out of the hot zone.
The Sunshine State saw the most new COVID-19 cases and residents tested ever over the New Year’s holiday. The Florida Department of Health reported 31,518 new cases and 328,293 resident tests over the two-day period on Saturday.
Miami Herald reporter Martin Vassolo contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 4, 2021 at 1:59 PM.
