Author Topic: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?  (Read 7086 times)

Offline Dune930

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #30 on: July 14, 2022, 11:39:58 AM »
I'm a local SCAL resident (Pasadena), and I work at a healthcare organization. It's been my practice these past 2 years or so, to wear a mask like it's a new religion. I'm glad that SDCC has a mask mandate because the new variants are of concern and it seems that a lot of vaccinated people are becoming infected. Because I practice social distancing and wear the mask regularly (I'm vaxxed/2x boosted), especially inside with large groups of people, I'm confident I'll be fine. I also purchased more black disposable masks because for the length of time I'll need to wear them, it is the most comfortable mask that will protect me and allow me to breathe easily. I'll also change the masks every two hours.

I hope we all go into celebrating SDCC wearing our masks so that we can all make the best of a crazy situation safely and have fun.

Offline madfly

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #31 on: July 14, 2022, 04:31:15 PM »
In the news today....San Diego County moved into CDC's "high" virus-activity category amid spikes in COVID-19 infections & hospitalizations

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Offline frgx

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #32 on: July 14, 2022, 04:36:16 PM »
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In the news today....San Diego County moved into CDC's "high" virus-activity category amid spikes in COVID-19 infections & hospitalizations
Also Los Angeles County and Orange County.

Online marcia29

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #33 on: July 14, 2022, 04:54:13 PM »
Oh...great. :o
It is 2024, and I am still asking...where's my flyin' car??!! @fannishmarcia

Offline susanml10881

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #34 on: July 14, 2022, 05:24:11 PM »
Well I’m double masking and hoping for the best. I’ve been healthy so far.

Offline DaveG

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #35 on: July 14, 2022, 05:50:56 PM »
I guess the news just keeps getting better. Sigh.

Offline Vapors

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #36 on: July 14, 2022, 05:58:17 PM »
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I guess the news just keeps getting better. Sigh.

I suppose we all need to expect that guests, panelists, even booth employees may drop out suddenly to cancel. Whether it is due to Covid concern or if they catch it themselves. Wesley Snipes cancelled a planned autograph session but who knows if that was due to not being interested personally or perhaps he caught it (or is concerned of catching it).

This means being prepared to switch up plans if needed.

Offline nightshade

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #37 on: July 14, 2022, 08:02:45 PM »
CCI should really preemptively send out an email.

1)  Masks will be enforced or will be asked to leave (unlike Wondercon)

2) If you are sick, you can request a refund or badge rollover (this is an actual policy but needs to be announced)

3) More sanitation workers hired to clean handles, high-contact surfaces

4) Get a last minute sponsor (Abbott Medical, UCSD, etc) to offer some testing kits at the covid vax tents

5) Work with hotels to revise refund policy for people who test positive (because with so much money committed, sick people will come otherwise)

Additionally, they could:

A) Find a sponsor to offer mini hand sanitizer gel

B) Temperature checks

C) Seat spacers to reduce big panel load

D) Public announcements that encourage 6 feet of distance

I really hope some of these things and more are in place.  There are ways to make large-scale events safer and reduce transmission. 

Offline Eric_Draven66

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #38 on: July 14, 2022, 09:54:55 PM »
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In the news today....San Diego County moved into CDC's "high" virus-activity category amid spikes in COVID-19 infections & hospitalizations

Although the statement is true there more to it. I work in the medical field and happen to speak with doctors alot from different hospital. Alot of the people that are in the hospital for covid did not go there for that reason, they just happen to test positive why they were being seen for something else. because they are positive it has to be documented and thats the reason for the county moving to high. Just take precautions and make properly and you will have a good chance of not getting it but there is a chance you will. i prey it will be mild for us if we do.

Offline SDcomics

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #39 on: July 14, 2022, 10:21:09 PM »
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D) Public announcements that encourage 6 feet of distance

Oh My God.





Yeah.  Social distance.  That ain't gonna work.

And I don't think there's enough hand sanitizer on this planet earth to handle those kinds of crowds.

As for hiring people to wipe down high contact surfaces (which everything in that place is), the con organizers don't have enough money to print a proper program book, so that's probably not going to happen either.

Look, for anyone out there who's really worried about covid: I agree it's a concern.  If you're really worried about it, then the San Diego Convention Center during Comic Con is probably not the place to be.  There's going to be 130,000 people in there and maybe another 50 or 60 thousand in the gaslamp.  Granted, we're all going to vaccinated and we're all going to be masked, but it's going to be risky.  I'm going, but I'm not the brightest little bunny in the carrot patch.  Do what you think is best for you.

Offline chocolateshake

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #40 on: July 14, 2022, 10:48:32 PM »
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Alot of the people that are in the hospital for covid did not go there for that reason, they just happen to test positive why they were being seen for something else.

There is more to it than that.  People getting diagnosed for something different than the chief complaint that came in for happens all the time.  Rarely does someone walk into the ED with a self diagnosis of bowel obstruction, instead they go in complaining of throwing up coffee grounds.  I know someone who was hospitalized for being semi catatonic and unresponsive.  They ran all sorts of tests.  Was it a toxin?  Was it neurologic?  In the end it was the flu.  A few days of supportive care and she was back to normal.

The county tries to break things down in a way to give an accurate picture.  About 10% of the hospitalized have covid.  About 10% of the people in the ICU have covid.  5% of the people that go to the ED go due to covid symptoms.  5% go because of flu symptoms.  There is overlap, people don't know whether they have covid or the flu they just know they have covid//flu symptoms.  So a lot of the people hospitalized with covid went to the hospital specifically because of covid.  Either way, I think the takeaway is that we are currently in an uptrend.  Hence the warning.

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CCI should really preemptively send out an email.

Except for the few things SDCC is already doing, none of that is going to happen at this point.  It's not practical.  People won't go along.  For most of the US population, covid is over and there's no going back.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2022, 10:53:34 PM by chocolateshake »

Offline nightshade

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #41 on: July 14, 2022, 10:55:45 PM »
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Oh My God.





Yeah.  Social distance.  That ain't gonna work.

And I don't think there's enough hand sanitizer on this planet earth to handle those kinds of crowds.

As for hiring people to wipe down high contact surfaces (which everything in that place is), the con organizers don't have enough money to print a proper program book, so that's probably not going to happen either.

Look, for anyone out there who's really worried about covid: I agree it's a concern.  If you're really worried about it, then the San Diego Convention Center during Comic Con is probably not the place to be.  There's going to be 130,000 people in there and maybe another 50 or 60 thousand in the gaslamp.  Granted, we're all going to vaccinated and we're all going to be masked, but it's going to be risky.  I'm going, but I'm not the brightest little bunny in the carrot patch.  Do what you think is best for you.
I’m not saying social distance is possible, I’m saying a regular announcement every hour or so may help keep it on people’s minds. 

And admittedly, I’m just spitballing anything I can think of because CCI occasionally reads our forum.  Fact is a few announcements a day can’t hurt.

Hiring people — you ask the city for additional help.  Regularly cleaning high-contact areas absolutely does help reduce transmission.  That’s why hospitals do it.

Hand sanitizer is once again just another effort to help reduce.

We’re talking scale of spread here.  People are going to get infected no matter what they do.  But if simple, additional precautions could split that number in half or even more — then they’re worth it.

If someone is noticeably sick at vaccine check or has a fever through a temp scan — then a simple rapid test for that one person could avoid hundreds of infections.  That’s not hard

Offline Vapors

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #42 on: July 15, 2022, 01:23:37 AM »
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Also Los Angeles County and Orange County.

According to the LA Times, indoor masking mandates would come back by July 29 unless things drastically improved.

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Offline chachime45

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #43 on: July 15, 2022, 01:42:37 AM »
I’m cautiously optimistic. I went to Megacon in Orlando a couple of months ago and the place was packed, nearly a SDCC-level crowd on Saturday. Fewer than five percent of the attendees were wearing masks. I wore mine except for a few moments here and there.

I’ll feel more comfortable around a West Coast crowd. I’m a proud Florida native but we do have a lot of knuckleheads over here.

I’m a nurse on Covid unit. I’ve been around literally thousands of people with active Covid … I wear a N95 for direct contact and a procedure mask everywhere else in the hospital and the only time I ever caught it was at my brother’s house.

I’m actually more worried about the plane ride over than the con itself.

Offline DaveG

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Re: Anyone thinking of not going now because of new COVID variant?
« Reply #44 on: July 15, 2022, 04:40:20 AM »
Yeah, right now my first concern is the plane ride. I'm going to be either in an airport or on a plane for 6+ hours going there and then again going back. I know two people within the last three weeks that got covid and both are pretty certain they got it at the airport. Both cases were fairly mild, but still not fun.

I haven't heard anything, but think it would be nice if CCI could make test kits available during the con.