Costume-Con 39 Vaccination and Pandemic Policy

We at Costume-Con 39 care about the health and safety of our fellow attendees.   UPDATED 2/8/2023.

The pandemic of SARS-CoV2, commonly called COVID-19, continues, more or less as expected.  We are slowly shifting into the endemic phase.  After repeatedly extending it, the US Federal government has announced that it will end the public health emergency on May 11, 2023 (3 weeks after the convention).

The Public Health Department of Santa Clara County, where Costume-Con 39 will be held, still recommends masks for indoor events.  We are still seeing a mixture of Covid, influenza and RSV in the community, and hospitals are at or near capacity.  So we still need to be careful and we will always follow or exceed the county, state, and federal recommendations at the highest level.

Attendance, including staff, will be capped to allow for adequate social distancing. 

Our goal, as always, is to provide our attendees with a safe and enjoyable experience.  As such, and acknowledging that some people will disagree with us, we are setting the following requirements:

• Documented vaccination, with the appropriate number of doses and boosters, per current recommendations from the CDC*. 
  • Vaccination series must be completed at least 2 (two) weeks prior to the start of the convention.
  • Accepted documentation includes your vaccination card or a photo of the card, a letter from your state health department, or an electronic verification (i.e., the CDPH Smart Health Card).
  • Photo ID that matches the name on the vaccination documentation will be required at badge pick-up.
• Masks should be worn in all convention spaces, and are recommended in public areas of the hotel.  Exceptions include:
  • when actively eating
  • during stage competition (but masks are required in the green room)
  • during active photography (i.e., competition photography)
  • Acceptable masks include surgical masks, N95, KN95, KF94, or Z95 types.  Triple layer masks (sometimes called “Level 3” masks) are acceptable.  This means no gaiters, bandannas, vented masks, or mesh/lace/single fabric layer masks.
  • We recommend making mask covers to match costumes.
• Eating will be restricted to designated locations (i.e., the restaurants)

Should an attendee refuse to wear a mask, or not mask properly, we will warn that person as a corrective action.  If they continue to refuse, we may revoke their membership.  See also the Code of Conduct.

• Note that the ADA does not require exemptions of any kind during a public health emergency.   
• We will be sharing the hotel with other people.  They may be unmasked, and we have no control over them.

We know that not everyone agrees with this.  However, if we are going to make a mistake, we want to err on the side of being more cautious, more safety conscious, with the goal of keeping everyone healthy.

*https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html