TOPIC: Vaccine and masking debate, trying to shift this off the gencon update thread

Fiddy wrote: Serious question for those of you desiring GC to require vaccinations and masks to protect your own health (rather than those desiring it to reduce mutation chances)

You do realize that if you go to GC you'll likely be interacting with people every day that don't have to follow GCs rules, right?

Even if GC requires those things, as long as the city of Indianapolis doesn't require them, you'll still be dealing with random pedestrians passing through the convention center or on the sidewalk, people at your hotel, people at the food trucks, etc.

Are those other interactions not a concern?

(Edit: I realized the intent behind my question wasn't clear. My intent was not saying GC shouldn't require vaccinations/masks because you've got to deal with people that don't follow GC's rules, rather wondering if people are appropriately considering risks even if GC does wind up requiring them)

The Hotel can require masks to enter. The Convention Center can require masks to enter.
Gencon can require vaccination proof to purchase or pick up badges for the convention.

Unless the city requires masks in all indoors locations and the Convention Center is fully locked down to only attendees with GenCon badges AND GenCon requires vaccination proof to pick up said badges you have to assume that any person seen during the event is unvaccinated and react accordingly.

balthasar wrote: September and October will be the time to see if we truly out of the woods, as that is usually the start of the cold/flu season, and it was the beginning of the worst Covid wave here in the US last year. I am really hoping Gen Con just sticks with requiring masks.

Unfortunately mask wearing will not be actively enforced with the number of people attending. They may have people at all doors that check for a mask before you enter a location but once you're through the door it's going to be very hard to enforce mask use. Requiring proof of vaccination to get a badge is the most enforcable option available.

Arcanist Kolixela wrote:

balthasar wrote: September and October will be the time to see if we truly out of the woods, as that is usually the start of the cold/flu season, and it was the beginning of the worst Covid wave here in the US last year. I am really hoping Gen Con just sticks with requiring masks.

Unfortunately mask wearing will not be actively enforced with the number of people attending. They may have people at all doors that check for a mask before you enter a location but once you're through the door it's going to be very hard to enforce mask use. Requiring proof of vaccination to get a badge is the most enforcable option available.

I don't think that is a viable option as they haven't made that a requirement yet. They'd have had to made it known before people decided to roll over badges or use them this year. What happens when someone that decided to keep their badge for this year, but then isn't vaccinated when they try and pick up their badge? Or if they choose to have it mailed to them and then just show up without having been vaccinated? I'd think it would be easier to just have volunteers posted at intersections in the halls as well as the entrances to events.