SMOF News, volume 1, issue 26

Anime NYC is off the hook, and news in brief.

Anime NYC Was Not a Superspreader Event

Not one but two studies of COVID-19 in Anime NYC attendees were released by the CDC last week, and both suggest that common precautions against transmission work, even for large cons.

“Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Associated With a Large Indoor Convention — New York City, November–December 2021” looks at the attendees as a whole and finds that infection rates were not significantly different from the rate in New York City at the time:

Despite these potential exposures and multiple introductions as evidenced by genomic identification of at least three different SARS-CoV-2 variants and sublineages, findings from surveillance and survey data from a portion of attendees suggest that this large event did not lead to widespread transmission; 7-day average percentage of positive test results in NYC on December 5, 2021, (3.0%) was similar to that in this investigation (2.6%).

As for what did turn out to be risky:

Test-positive survey respondents reported engaging in certain activities more frequently than did test-negative respondents, including attending bars (16.7% versus 6.9%), karaoke (18.8% versus 2.4%), or nightclubs (10.4% versus 3.0%) outside of the convention, and eating or drinking indoors near others for at least 15 minutes at the convention (62.5% versus 43.7%) (all p<0.05).

“Multistate Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Infections Among Persons in a Social Network Attending a Convention — New York City, November 18–December 20, 2021” takes a look at Peter McGinn (“Patient A”) and his close contacts. 29 people were identified that McGinn had spent significant unmasked time around; 23 were interviewed for the study, and 16 of those tested positive.

Both studies suggest that masking, vaccination requirements, and good ventilation are a strong defense against COVID-19, even when you have 53,000 people packed into one convention center. They also remind us that no virus is going to politely step aside when you take your mask off to eat or hang out with your friends.

Anime NYC is only identified as “a large indoor convention” in both studies, so sadly there are no scientific descriptions of anime to enjoy. However, here is very serious educational publication Science News running a photo of anime fans in costume.

Science News interviewed a local epidemiologist who thinks that Anime NYC just got lucky:

Additionally, Anime NYC had “a fortunate coincidence” in its timing, says Ayman El-Mohandes, an epidemiologist and dean of the public health school at the City University of New York. Omicron was first identified in New York City wastewater samples on November 21, the final day of the convention — placing this event at the very beginning of the city’s outbreak, when community transmission was low.

“Had this same event happened two weeks later, it would’ve been disastrous,” El-Mohandes says.

In Brief

• KuroNekoCon (Spokane, Washington, USA) has been cancelled and has not confirmed a 2023 event.

• Two Gen Con-related food contests which are open to non-members: Build Your Dream Pie from HotBox to suggest a featured pizza; and Battle of the Gen Con Beers from Sun King Brewing is a voting bracket to select a returning special-edition beer.

• WisCon’s February newsletter reports $21,000 of a potential $30,000 in matching funds raised and 180 current memberships of a goal of 1000.

• The Seattle in 2025 Worldcon bid is holding a public Zoom on March 6 for anyone interested in volunteering; details here.

Event Calendar

Weekend of February 25-27

• MystiCon, Roanoke, Virginia, USA

• Gamicon Gallium (gaming), Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA

• Total Confusion 36 (gaming), Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA

• CalCon 28 (gaming), Kalmar, Sweden

• Festival International des Jeux (gaming), Cannes, France

• Revelation (gaming), Sheffield, UK

• K2 Convention (gaming), Dungarvan, Ireland

• GenghisCon (gaming), Aurora, Colorado, USA

• Fire and Ice Convention (gaming), Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA

• TantrumCon (boardgames), Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

• PrezCon 2022/RevCon (boardgames), Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

• Intercon U: Ultraviolet (LARPs), Warwick, Rhode Island, USA

• LVL UP EXPO (video games), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

• SoCal Gaming Expo (video games), Ontario, California, USA

• Kawacon (anime), San Antonio, Texas, USA

• ZipCon 2022 (anime), Akron, Ohio, USA

• Anime Crossroads 2022, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

• Farpoint 29 (media), Hunt Valley, Maryland, USA

• Cult Classic Convention (media), Bastrop, Texas, USA

• Nerd Fest (media), Swedesboro, New Jersey, USA

• Armageddon Expo Tauranga (media), Tauranga, New Zealand

Weekend of March 4-6

• CoastCon 44, Biloxi, Mississippi, USA

• Cleveland ConCoction 8, Aurora, Ohio, USA

• Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention 10: Over the Rainbow, Tucson, Arizona, USA

• Llamedos Holiday Camp 2022 – Dragon Trials (Discworld), Llanelli, UK

• VancouFur 2022: EvfurQuest (anthropomorphic), Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

• Fur the ‘More 2022 (anthropomorphic), Arlington, Virginia, USA

• Cardboard*Con (cardboard sf costuming), Atlanta, Georgia, USA

• BashCon 36 (gaming), Toledo, Ohio, USA

• Tennessee Game Days XV, Franklin, Tennessee, USA

• Gary Con XIV (gaming), Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA

• Dice Tower West (gaming), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

• SaltCON Spring (gaming), Layton, Utah, USA

• 1d4Con 2022 (gaming), online (usually Shepherdstown, West Virginia, USA)

• Evercon 2022 (gaming), Rothschild, Wisconsin, USA

• Prolog (LARPs), online (usually Västerås, Sweden)

• Animeverse Fest (anime), Pasadena, California, USA

• PeoriaCon (media), Peoria, Illinois, USA

• Hill Country Comicon, New Braunfels, Texas, USA

• Middle East Film & Comic Con, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

• Hall of Heroes Comic Con 2022, Elkhart, Indiana, USA

Weekend of March 11-13

• MarsCon 2022, Bloomington, Minnesota, USA

• Foolscap, online (usually Seattle, Washington, USA)

• MACE West (gaming), Asheville, North Carolina, USA

• ChillerCon UK (horror), Scarborough, UK

• Pulp Fiction Central, Dania, Florida, USA

• Blue Ridge Furfare (anthropomorphic), Asheville, North Carolina, USA

• Fur Out West 5: FoWassic Park (anthropomorphic), Scarborough, Western Australia, Australia

• Marmalade Dog 25 (gaming), Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA

• AireCon (gaming), Harrogate, UK

• Granite Game Summit, Nashua, New Hampshire, USA

• Stumptown Game Summit, virtual

• Arizona Game Fair, Mesa, Arizona, USA

• Fargo GameFest, Fargo, North Dakota, USA

• GADCon 2022 (gaming), Aberdeen, Maryland, USA

• MidWinter ‘22 (gaming), Haugesund, Norway

• Protospiel Knoxville (games in development), Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

• Louisville Arcade Expo, Louisville, Kentucky, USA

• MinamiCon 27 (anime), Southampton, UK

• All-Con (media), Dallas, Texas, USA

• Wintercon (media), Jamaica, New York, USA

• TFcon (Transformers), Burbank, California, USA

Weekend of March 18-20

• MarsCon 2022, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

• Clockwork Alchemy (steampunk), Burlingame, California, USA

• Furnal Equinox (anthropomorphic), Toronto, Ontario, Canada

• Texas Furry Fiesta (anthropomorphic), Dallas, TX

• Furnexion (anthropomorphic), Monterrey, Mexico

• Token Con (gaming), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA

• Zuiderspel (gaming), Veldhoven, Netherlands

• Southern Board Game Festival, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA

• GOBweb (boardgames), virtual

• Meeple Peak (boardgames), Carson City, Nevada, USA

• COSCON XXXII (RPGs), Lyndora, Pennsylvania, USA

• Concrete Cow (RPGs), Milton Keynes, UK

• Hotlead (miniatures gaming), Stratford, Ontario, Canada

• Playthrough (video games), Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

• Triad Anime Convention, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

• Anime Detour, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

• Sausomecon (anime), Independence, Missouri, USA

• EvilleCon 2022 (anime), Evansville, Indiana, USA

• Tora-Con 2022 (anime), Rochester, New York, USA

• Toronto Comicon, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

• Paris Manga Sci-Fi Show (media), Paris, France

• CarrierCon 2022 (media), Alameda, California, USA

• MondoCon 2022 Spring (media), Budapest, Hungary

• DarkLight Convention 4 (Supernatural), Paris, France

Weekend of March 25-27

• AggieCon 51, College Station, Texas, USA

• MidSouthCon 38, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

• HELIOsphere, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA

• FantaSci 2022: Time Warp Edition, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, USA

• Consonance 2022 (music), Milpitas, California, USA

• Motor City Furry Con, Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA

• Plattecon XXXV: The Redemption Arc (gaming), Platteville, Wisconsin, USA

• GameStorm 22, Portland, Oregon, USA

• Terminal City Tabletop Convention (gaming), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

• WashingCon (gaming), Washington, DC, USA

• Ludinord (gaming), Lille, France

• Game On Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

• SIMCON 43 (boardgames), Rochester, New York, USA

• Adepticon 2022 (wargaming), Schaumburg, Illinois, USA

• FreeCon 18 (anime), Tallahassee, Florida, USA

• Nadeshicon (anime), Québec City, Québec, Canada

• Banzaicon (anime), Columbia, South Carolina, USA

• SwampCon 1v1 (anime), Gainesville, Florida, USA

• AnimeJapan 2022, Tokyo, Japan

• Zenkaikon 2022 (anime), Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

• Anime Recharge 2022, Des Moines, Iowa, USA

• ExpOtaku Almería 2022 (anime), Almería, Spain

• Fluke 2022 (independent comics and zines), Athens, Georgia, USA

• Revelcon 32 (media relaxacon), Houston, Texas, USA

Coda

• Zugzwang in pizza and other games (Quanta Magazine, hat tip: Money Stuff)

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