Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?

[Roshawn]

Well, there's lots of factors, and "most" people wearing a mask isn't much better than "nobody". N95 is good for several hours when it seals well and you keep it in place to avoid droplets entering the inside of the mask where you can breathe them in.

That said, I wear an N95 in public and often can't socially distance, and I haven't caught it yet. (Or I don't think so.) There are lots of approved N95 and KN95 and the best approach is to find a type that fits your face well and possibly add a second cloth mask to help keep it in place. If it's not sealed and comfortable, avoid the Exhibition Hall because you can't fight a lifetime of breathing habits. Remember that tests often don't turn positive until a couple of days after infection.

.

Let me clarify, in Jesse O  situation, on a plane, with someone infected with no mask the max 2.5 hours an N95 protects. For the exhibit hall, you are correct. 

[jeffa]

Let me clarify, in Jesse O  situation, on a plane, with someone infected with no mask the max 2.5 hours an N95 protects. For the exhibit hall, you are correct.

And let me clarify too. I had been worried that somebody could take the short statement to mean that an N95 was effective, in general, for something approaching 2.5 hours. Your reply made it clear you weren't generalizing to crowd conditions. And for chocolateshake, my point had been that even in the one-to-one situation, you need a good seal or even 20 minutes of filtering could be ineffective. We have a couple of years seeing how people and governments thought any face covering was an acceptable "mask".

Me, I'm a senior who got a booster shot within hours of when they were authorized. A 20-pack of quality N95 masks is now less than $8 on Amazon, next day delivery.

[chocolateshake]

And for chocolateshake, my point had been that even in the one-to-one situation, you need a good seal or even 20 minutes of filtering could be ineffective.

Absolutely.  Fit is critical.  That's what really differentiates a N95 from other masks.  It's not the filter material.  Even a surgical mask is made out of material that filters pretty well.  It's the fit.  How well a material filters doesn't mean much if air flows around it.  A surgical mask's fit is very loose.  Which brings us to the reason for double masking.  Putting a cloth mask over a surgical mask helps the fit.  The surgical mask is the filter, the cloth mask improves the fit.  A N95 doesn't need that.  It's not recommended to put anything over a N95 since it can actually make the fit worse.  It can leak more.  If more protection than a N95 is desired, use a P100.  It filters better and it seals much better.

But even with a perfect seal, sooner or later the filter material will saturate and become not as effective.  For a N95 that's about 2 hours of continuous use.

Me, I'm a senior who got a booster shot within hours of when they were authorized. A 20-pack of quality N95 masks is now less than $8 on Amazon, next day delivery.

N95s are cheap and plentiful again.  Price is definitely not a reason not to wear them.  I've worn N95s pretty much the whole pandemic.  I briefly stepped down to KN95s when it did look like the pandemic was over a year ago.  Then Delta happened and I went back to N95s.  I've been restocking my N95 stash at the current blowout prices.  I never actually ran out of my pre-pandemic N95s even though I gave half my stash to the local ED at the start.  But at the current prices, how can I not stock up?  I picked up a bunch of 3M N95s, it doesn't get much better, for 35 cents each.  But the bulk of my stash are 25 cent BYDs.

[RustyPonds]

Yeah, with my son due any day now, my SDCC plans were decided for me a while ago, but with that being said, I'd be worried about going this year.

Having experienced the PPE $hitshow that was Star Wars Celebration back in May (when it came to mask enforcement), and factoring in the current variant, there is no way SDCC is NOT a superspreader event. Some 2019 Saturday Hall H wristbanding photos popped up on my TimeHop a fews days ago and freaked me out. Tons of people right on top of each other for hours. Nuts.

Be safe everybody!!

[rabbitwarren]

Had my mask down briefly to drink and staff asked me to put it back up.  However, I saw 2 people with “chin diapers” and a handful not even bothering (it was more prominent among the reseller booths).

[debster]

Yeah, with my son due any day now, my SDCC plans were decided for me a while ago, but with that being said, I'd be worried about going this year.

Off topic, but congrats on your son!!

[chocolateshake]

Had my mask down briefly to drink and staff asked me to put it back up.  However, I saw 2 people with “chin diapers” and a handful not even bothering (it was more prominent among the reseller booths).

I watched someone stream it live.  From what I could see most people did the right thing, they wore masks and wore them properly.  There were people with their noses exposed.  There were "chin diapers".  And there was the occasional person who wasn't wearing a mask and didn't even pretend they were.  But overall really good compliance.

[Mel]

I concur. I only saw two people just blatantly not wearing one, like I did not see a mask anywhere. A few chin diapers and quite a few nose peekers, but overall there was good compliance. I had a great fitting KN95 and felt pretty anxiety-free.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

[twiley79]

I thought preview night was pretty much everyone, I was pleasantly surprised! Thursday morning I saw security guards stop someone and very insistently tell him to get his mask out of his bag and put it on before he entered the building. Now in Ballroom 20 line outside and most people have them off, some on.

[Andrew Costa Mesa]

Friday I tried to enter the building forgetting to put my mask back on and I was stopped by security, so they are vigilant.

Maybe it was a blessing that I missed the Friday Hall H panel because I was at the Saturday panel near the front with 6,000 other attendees for three-and-a-half hours straight, so I may have my first Covid-19 experience in the entire pandemic in the next couple of days or so.  I’ll let you guys know if I get sick.  Either way, I did have a fun time with both the Warner Bros. and Game of Thrones panels.

[Transmute Jun]

Just remember what Chris Hardwick said. If anyone gets COVID, it is a 2022 SDCC Exclusive Edition of COVID.

[accelerate]

Just remember what Chris Hardwick said. If anyone gets COVID, it is a 2022 SDCC Exclusive Edition of COVID.

I want a t-shirt to the effect: I went to SDCC for the exclusives, and all I got was COVID.

(Note: I haven’t actually gotten COVID (that I know of))

[Andrew Costa Mesa]

Home test just came back negative, but I also scheduled a PCR test at CVS Tuesday afternoon.