COVID Policy

2022 COVID Policy Overview
PENDING REVISION FOR 2023
  1. We require all attendees to be “fully vaccinated” AND boosted unless they have a medical contraindication.
  2. Masks (KN-95 or N-95) are required to be worn over the nose and mouth at all times by all conference attendees and staff in all public conference spaces unless signage indicates otherwise.
  3. We strongly recommend testing for COVID within the 96 hours before attending the con
  4. We strongly encourage you to get the COVID Alert CT app installed and running on your phone before/during the con.

Before You Arrive

  1. Find your original vaccine card and bring it along, we’re going to check it!
  2. Stock up on masks (N-95 or KN-95 if possible), hand sanitizer, and maybe a rapid test or two. We will have some high quality N-95 masks available for purchase at the reg desk if you’re looking to upgrade.
  3. Schedule a COVID test within 96 hours of your arrival at the event, and approx 1-5 days after you leave the event
  4. Download Connecticut’s contact tracing app: COVID Alert CT
  5. Get on the EEEHU Discord server and get 18+ verified to get the most up to the minute updates!

Vaccination Requirements

We require all attendees to be “fully vaccinated” AND boosted unless they have a medical contraindication to vaccination. (This will not change for 2023.)

Acceptable proof of vaccination includes: 

  1. Government issued vaccine cards
  2. Printed records from your state’s official vaccination database
  3. A letter from your doctor’s office on official letterhead stating that you have been vaccinated
  4. Vaccine verification app such as Excelsior Pass

You will be asked to indicate whether you are vaccinated upon ticket purchase, and your vaccination credentials will be checked when you pick up your badge. Failure to produce proof of vaccination will lead to inability to attend the event. 

Medical contraindications to vaccination will be reviewed by an internal medicine physician and discussed with our colleagues at Operation Hammond. Contraindications include:

  1. Severe allergy* to COVID-19 vaccine component 
  2. Severe allergy* to first dose of COVID-19 vaccine
  3. Documentation from your primary physician stating the medical reason you cannot be vaccinated

    *urticaria, angioedema, respiratory distress (e.g., wheezing, stridor), or anaphylaxis

Unvaccinated attendees who meet the above criteria will be limited to less than 5% with spaces allocated first come, first served. Unvaccinated people are encouraged to initiate review of their case prior to ticket purchase.

CDC Vaccination Contraindications

Masking Requirements

Masks (ideally KN-95 or N-95) are required to be worn over the nose and mouth at all times by all conference attendees and staff in all public conference spaces unless signage indicates otherwise. Spaces where there might be unmasked people will have signage on the door. 

Presenters are expected to wear masks while presenting, we will have microphones/speakers available, and presenters may choose to wear a mask with a clear window to help our hard of hearing attendees. 

If you are having an “open door party,” people are expected to be masked. We cannot control what you do in your room with the door closed, but we encourage you to be careful.

CDC Mask guide

Physical Distancing

  1. Please try to keep 6 feet between yourself and others in conference spaces if possible. Please take heed of occupancy limit signs for smaller rooms, if present. 
  2. Attendees will be provided with color coded wristbands to indicate comfort with physical proximity:
    1. Red bands/lanyards mean “please stay 6 feet away from me whenever possible, I am not OK with hugging or touching”
    2. Yellow bands/lanyards mean “please stay about 3 feet away from me, ask to approach closer”
    3. Green bands/lanyards mean “I am OK with people standing closer to me, please ask consent before hugging or touching”
  3. Most of our seating will be set up at 3 feet between chairs; there will be some seating available for people who want additional distancing.
  4. It is OK to move chairs closer to each other to accommodate a consenting group of people, but please move them back to where you found them when the class is over.

At The Event – What you can expect from us and what we expect from you

We take safety seriously and will do everything in our control to make the safest event possible. We will:

  • Have hand sanitizer readily available
  • Have high quality masks available for purchase at the registration desk
  • Have social distancing color code indicators available
  • Perform contact-less temperature checks upon entry to the conference space
  • Wipe down high contact surfaces in our event spaces frequently
  • Not let anyone into the event without a mask
  • Point out when masks are not being worn correctly
  • Ask people to leave the event who are not respecting our rules
  • Have signage at the door of areas where people might not be wearing masks (IE a place where food is happening, or the dungeon)
  • Communicate clearly if there is a positive case

We expect you to:

  • Not attend the event if you feel sick or have tested positive for COVID in the 10 days before the event, or if you test positive during the event
  • Respect the rules and signage
  • Wear your mask properly at all times
  • Respect people’s social distancing needs
  • Use the COVID Alert CT app to facilitate anonymous contact tracing
  • Fill out the NEEHU COVID self report form if you test positive at the event

Thank you!

Many thanks to MagFest for allowing us to use elements of your COVID policy.

Lots of thanks to Operation Hammond for helping us contemplate policy and for staffing this event with us!