Gencon must ensure the safest environment possible for 2022:
Mandatory vaccinations which means original 2 shots plus 2 boosters (by Aug 2022, this will be realistic). It maybe necessary to have 3 boosters - this is for ALL attendees, including children 2 and up.
PLUS mandate the last shot/booster be no more than 3-4 months aged.
PLUS require variant-specific boosters (omicron may need a specific booster).
PLUS mandatory rapid test at badge pick up (15 minutes to test on-site, if they can do it in airports, gencon can do it)
PLUS mandatory masking like last for everyone 2 and up.
PLUS social distancing, table limits, sanitizer stations, cleaning, etc…
PLUS no exceptions or exemptions to the policy - NONE. The safety of the community supersedes any personal medical or religious situations.
Nothing short of this will ensure a safe and enjoyable convention for the community.
Happy Holidays and stay safe everyone!
I'm with kevinrg: no point in speculating 8 months out where things will be at. However, i also agree that if 2022 is a rehash of gencon 2021 but more rules I'll take a bye next year as well.
It was trolling. Nobody goes that overboard if they are trying to be encouraging.
I imagine this thread will last about ten more posts before being locked at this rate
I certainly would have hoped 2022 would be less restrictive than 2021, but I had an amazing time this year so I know I will have an amazing time next year, too!
Very excited for the new guidelines, hopefully this will help international attendees and vendors feel safe enough to attend. Glad GenCon is setting a high standard. Here in NYC we've felt much more comfortable going out with the new vaccine mandates, and with the new variant we've felt relief that indoor masking is enforced and has high compliance.
It was great that there are no widely reported clusters from GC2021 and I hope this new path means more people, more vendors balanced with the precautions to make an enjoyable experience!
I do agree that things will change a bunch in 8 months and while the specifics of the health & safety policy may change, remember we ALL managed to skip gencon 2020 and be OK. If someone chooses not to comply with common sense safety practices, it’s better for that person to miss a year than have someone (including them) end up dead.
Maybe one or two of my ideas are more restrictive - but let’s not argue specifics at this stage and just agree we need a strong health policy to stay safe in 2022.
sorry for the sobering post. I don’t want to be a buzzkill on the Holidays but felt it needed to be said.
I'm on the page of 'no point in speculating 8 months out'. But, if the two prior years are any indication, we are about to be hit with people who will demand that they need to know details in specific RIGHT NOW for planning reasons.
I asked (and stated) just wanting an idea before event registration. That is like 5 months down the road (at least). There is no rush atm.
I went to Planet Comicon in Kansas City back in August and there was just a mask mandate aside from Photo Ops with Celebs (Plexiglass shield in-between the attendees and the Celebs) and the food areas. It seemed to go fine and they are back on track for their normal time of the year coming in April after delaying last year.
If this is the level you have gotten to, I think you need to skip Gen Con a year or so and do a serious self reflection on life itself. Follow your own safety/risk intuitions and do not project this frenetically onto others. There is overkill and then there is this.
Stay safe while doing it. No seriously.
After the backlash last year when they changed to masks required, I do not blame them at all.
Better to say masks and vaccinations required now rather than later. If mandates are not that strict in August, they could remove a mask requirement far easier than adding one.
1. Mandatory vaccinations to attend would mean a massive portion of the Gencon pop. could not or would not attend. Right now only about 62% have the vax. What's better, you requiring the main shot plus 2 booster, which only about 25% of the population have gotten, the Con would likely be called off with only 17,500 people attending out of a normal 70,000. Yea the con could go bankrupt with those requirement. And yes I've listened to other cons this last year requiring the proof of vax to attend, and they have mentioned they lost money due to lower attendance.
2. Mandatory rapid test at badge pick up. Where to start. Gencon operates on volunteers. Many of whom have very basic training. Lets give them these test kits and jab people up their noses and not cause injuries or mess them up. I mean, it's not like we live in a law suit happy society that sue for a hang nail. Or make a long process to get badges take even longer.
3. Mandatory masking like last for everyone 2 and up. The masking part may be around for a couple more cons. But any parent will tell you, trying to get a toddler to wear a mask is like trying to give a cat a bath.
I'll come back and take a look at this a month before the Con, then we can see what will more likely happen. If it is this, or more, or even less. This far out there is no point in arguing. GenCon has made it clear that they are willing to change their policies when and how they see fit. So let them do what they feel is right.
You are of course free to speculate if you wish...as long as it is done in a respectful manner...
Mike
Level A - no vaccine Level B - Vaccine, no boosters Level C - Vaccine and boosters.
As for masking, all I can hope is that community spread falls to a level where the CDC says it is safe to remove them this summer. Omicron looks like it will burn itself out in a month or two. My tolerance for mask-wearing is running extremely thin at this point.
Laughing at the idea that gamers are apparently no different than the average population according to that guy's random numbers up there. Gamers are more highly educated and affluent than the regular population, both of which are correlated with higher vaccine rates (also whiter, if we are being entirely honest, though in this case Asians have the highest rate).
personally 2021 was a huge let down, less big venders, half the vending hall not used, less tcg events hopefully it's a lot better this year since omicron prob reach peak in about 3 weeks.
The booster requirement will never be blanket requirement...not even 1 booster. They may require someone to be fully vaccinated and have at least 1 shot within the past 6ish months but it wouldn't have to be the booster. Otherwise, those that became fully vaccinated within 6 months of the convention wouldn't be able to attend.
In my case for instance, I got my second shot in mid-April so I'm fully vaxxed. I haven't gotten boostered yet because (of course) almost 6 months to the day I got Covid. Everything I've heard(by left leaning doctors) points to me actually having better immunities than if I got the booster...at least for a few more months. So, I'm waiting as long as possible to get the booster to give them a chance to tweak the formula again.