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What you need to know for Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021

Good morning Tampa Bay! It's almost Friday. (Or maybe more importantly it's almost Sunday!)

TAMPA, Fla — Good morning Tampa Bay! It's Thursday and that means we are just days away from Super Bowl LV.

Let's take a look at the stories you need to know about.

It's all about health and safety 😷

That's the message the NFL has for everyone when it comes to Super Bowl LV in Tampa. 

The NFL, like any other league across the country, faced an uphill battle mitigating COVID-19.

The league was forced to push back games, quarantine anyone who tested positive, and put in measures to keep everyone safe. The evolving protocols kept the league on track and made this game on Sunday possible.

That meant heavy cleaning of all facilities, using point of care (PCR) testing with 24-hour results, and the ability to contact-trace effectively to determine high-risk close contacts.

RELATED: NFL says health, safety at forefront leading up to Super Bowl LV

Arrr you ready for the 'ship show'? 🏴‍☠️

One small shop in downtown Tampa sure is. 

Don Me Now is a small boutique/champagne bar in the Channel District that knows a thing or two about all things pirate. 

After getting through a tough 2020, the store pinned its hopes on Gasparilla to pull through, but then that was postponed.   

Luckily, the Bucs kept winning, and that helped. They stocked up and started pre-sales. Hundreds of Bucs and pirate-themed shirts sold quickly and they still have more in the store for those last-minute shoppers.   

It didn't help just them. 

Don Me Now uses a printer in St. Pete to make the shirts they are selling. So, that's another business that benefited. Some other local vendors reached out with items like candles and bags.

RELATED: Small downtown Tampa shop gets boost from Bucs appearance in Super Bowl LV

Credit: Don Me Now

That Sunshine State feelin' ☀️

It’s safe to say Tom Brady is very happy with his decision to sign as a free agent with the Buccaneers. He loves his teammates, coaches and winning. He loves the city and beaches. 

And he really loves the Tampa Bay weather.

“I’ve loved being outside every day, and I think being a native Floridian," Brady said. "I was a native Californian for a long time in my life, and I went away from it for about 25 years. And you won’t catch me dead living in the Northeast anymore. So, I am loving the warm weather. It’s been a great feeling.” 

We get it Tom, rain or shine, we love it here too!

Kickoff for Super Bowl LV is set for 6:30 p.m. this Sunday right here on 10 Tampa Bay.

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