{"id":11539,"date":"2022-08-03T14:54:50","date_gmt":"2022-08-03T14:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceandnerds.com\/2022\/08\/03\/twitchcon-san-diego-will-not-require-masks-or-vaccinations\/"},"modified":"2022-08-03T14:54:52","modified_gmt":"2022-08-03T14:54:52","slug":"twitchcon-san-diego-will-not-require-masks-or-vaccinations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceandnerds.com\/2022\/08\/03\/twitchcon-san-diego-will-not-require-masks-or-vaccinations\/","title":{"rendered":"TwitchCon San Diego will not require masks or vaccinations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2022\/8\/2\/23288652\/twitchcon-san-diego-covid-19-vaccination-masks-monkeypox<\/a>
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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues and California declares a monkeypox state of emergency<\/a>, TwitchCon San Diego released its health measures policy<\/a>, indicating that there will be no testing, vaccination, or mask requirements. <\/p>\n

\u201cIn accordance with current local guidelines, there will be no COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements at TwitchCon San Diego. Although masks are encouraged, they are not currently required to attend TwitchCon,\u201d read the statement on the TwitchCon website.<\/p>\n

For TwitchCon Amsterdam, which took place last month, there was a similar policy in place. Twitch partner Nazih Fares told The Verge<\/em> he left after four hours, concerned for his health despite being fully vaccinated.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was as if the whole pandemic never happened,\u201d Fares said. \u201cI thought that Twitch partners would lead by example, the partner lounge was cramped, hygiene level sub-par and don\u2019t get me started with the \u2018bar area.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

As word came that the same policy would be implemented in San Diego, many streamers expressed outrage and hesitation<\/a>, declaring that they no longer felt safe attending the massive streaming convention.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was planning to attend and had booked a hotel room,\u201d Gary Whitta, screenwriter and Twitch partner, told The Verge<\/em>. \u201cWith the news that TwitchCon isn\u2019t requiring either vaccination or masks I\u2019m currently planning to stay home unless they revisit their policy.\u201d<\/p>\n

While it is true that masking and vaccination requirements are being relaxed across the country in step with guidance from public health officials, California seems to be in the midst of a COVID surge<\/a> thanks to the virus\u2019 variants and subvariants. And even if mask mandates are no longer in effect for some parts of California, it\u2019s not outside of Twitch\u2019s power to enforce its own policy. <\/p>\n

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