The Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), held Aug 5-7, 2022, did not require masks even though community risk is rated HIGH.
The same organization that puts on C2E2 also puts on Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) in Seattle on Aug 18-21.
C2E2 did not have a mask mandate. ECCC announced in June would not have a mask mandate, but dozens of vendors and panel members then said they would not attend. ECCC reversed course and made masks mandatory. King County (ECCC) has a community risk of LOW.
Chicago and its County have far higher case rates/population than does Seattle/King County – the former did not require masks but the latter reverse course and will not require mandatory masks (any type – useless cloth and surgical masks are considered acceptable).
What this shows – there is no Science behind this. It is literally random choices made primarily to manage fear. The odds are near 100% that all participants have either already had Covid or will soon have Covid, regardless of what steps are taken at the venue.
Unless you wear a 100% effective mask (which does not exist), 100% of the time (you won’t), you will eventually get Covid, if you have not had it already. Simple probability math.
Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, known as C2E2. Chicago, IL. Aug 5-7, 2022.
Run by Reed Pop Entertainment
Masks not required
Note that Community Risk is “HIGH” in Chicago area:
The key figures are “New cases per 100,000 population”, which are 200 for Chicago and 244 for the County.
Emerald City Comic Con, known as ECCC, Seattle, WA. Aug 18-21, 2022.
Also run by Reed Pop Entertainment
Masks are mandatory.
Community Risk in King County is LOW:
New cases for King County are 195.5 and dropping rapidly. Hospitalizations are dropping rapidly (4.3/population versus 12.5 for the County around Chicago). Deaths are dropping rapidly.
Reed Pop does not require masks in Chicago but requires masks in Seattle/King County.
Why?
Because Covid fear is higher on the west coast than in Chicago. ECCC announced in June that they would not have a mask mandate at ECCC. Dozens of vendors and panel participants said they would not attend ECCC unless masks were mandated.
At the start of August, ECCC reversed its decision and made masks mandatory at ECCC.
Same organization, nearly identical events – the County with lower case rates/population, and dropping, has a mask mandate while the county with higher case rates/population did not.
The mask rule has nothing to do with physical health and everything to do with mental health and business – specifically fear and hysteria management.
