squirecam wrote: mikeboozer wrote: brotherbock wrote: squirecam wrote: donaldbain wrote: squirecam wrote:The annual dealer hall stampede is not a good idea generally. Even worse to be packed in like sardines with a virus going around. There needs to be a clear line into the hall that utilizes social distancing instead of the bum rush method of the past.
I cannot see how that would work. Trying to enforce a six foot gap between people standing in line? A single file line for the dealer hall? It would wrap the building, maybe twice. Should we try a lottery for dealer hall entry times? Make it a ticketed event with start times? I can't see anything other the usual scrum actually working.
A lottery or Ticketed entry times could be an option. Spreading out vendors another. But something does need to be done. It cannot simply be business as usual.
Why can't it be business as usual, in
late July? It's certainly possible that, by then, if the con is still on, things are such that it shouldn't be business as usual. It's also possible that things are such that business as usual is fine. If social distancing still needs to be a thing in July, then the Con will not happen. That's the point of social distancing--it's not a way to keep 6 feet between people going to an unnecessary vacation convention. It's a way to keep people from going to unnecessary vacation conventions at all. 6 foot rules are for grocery shopping and hospitals.If the con happens, it will
only be because social distancing is no longer necessary. Ergo, the hall can run without social distancing.
I'm not predicting it will run--just pointing out the necessary connection there. The con happening will only come with a removal of the need for social distancing. If SD is still in place, no Con. And if yes Con, then no SD.
And someone wins the prize for rational thinking!
I think not. Gencon must plan for dealing with the virus aftermath. If you read the Indy article I link to above, it’s clear that the virus will not be gone in July. So there must be social distancing of some sort. And part of that plan is identifying possible recurrence of the virus, which would require temperature checks and other methods.
If people are of the “hope” that everything will be as it was before, and no restrictions will be necessary, then Gencon might as well just cancel the convention. Because it would be insane to cram 60,000 in a convention area with no thought to peoples actual welfare.
Please be realistic. There is no miracle vaccine coming before August. The virus is going to be around. So either steps are taken, some of which will require distancing or enforced lower maximums of people allowed in the dealer hall at one time, or the virus is going to have a wonderful opportunity to spread.
Wishing or hoping things were different is not a plan. Gencon should be planning NOW for how to run a safe convention in our new reality. Or cancel it if Gencon can’t or won’t take such steps.
Dude, we, as individuals, are responsible and have to take ownership of our own rationality regarding what is "safe" or "unsafe" in regards to the environments we CHOOSE to place ourselves in, or remove ourselves from. As previously stated by another poster, common sense dictates that if Social Distancing remains as a medical (and/or governmental) dictate, conventions will NOT be allowed to happen. If medical (and governmental) dictates for Social Distancing are removed, THEN public gatherings, including conventions MAY be allowed to proceed as per what was considered normal before all the hype and panic behind the Covid19 outbreak(s). {Yes, viruses present a credible threat to EVERYONE'S well being, and I have only sincere sympathy and compassion toward those who have suffered loss as a result of this, and any other contagion; however, it is NOT a governmental or corporate responsibility to shield and protect individuals. We are responsible for exercising and implementing our own precautionary measures. Speaking only for myself, I prefer to take some risks, even if it kills me, as opposed to living in a state of constant fear of leaving my front porch over "what if" …………..}
GenCon exists to give us gamers, and attendees, and event organizers a unique opportunity to mingle and have fun. If that element is sanitized and removed, whatever arises (or vanishes?) will no longer be GenCon, IMHO.
Peace and blessings