ECCC 2020: Organisers To Offer Refunds For Any Concerned Con-Goers
by Olly MacNamee
Reed POP have relented, somewhat, to growing demand from comic-con goers by announcing any worried fans who wish to cancel can, and get a full refund.
We here at Reedpop remain dedicated to running Emerald City Comic Con but understand that not everyone will be comfortable with that decision; if you wish to forgo aמּending this year’s edition of Emerald City Comic Con, we absolutely respect your wishes and will refund your ticket purchase (details on just how to do this will be on our website).
While it is something of a step-down to their previous statement (summary: we’re getting more soap in), I suppose they are are at least trying to appease both sets of fans. This who are concerned enough not to go, and those who still want to run into a burning building in the hope they don’t get scorched.
Still adhering to their original plan of “following the enhanced cleaning guidelines, precautions and procedures that we recently deployed at our PAX East event in Boston and C2E2 in Chicago” I can’t help but feel that both those events happened at a very different time to the here and now. The threat has evolved and grown. And, it’s always easy to hid behind the ‘government advise’ argument. Easy to do when it allows you to continue to put people at risk. People, Reed Pop still refer to as a ‘community’, suggesting they’re part of us and doing what’s best. Well, for some it is, but for a growing amount it isn’t. Including guest and publishers big and small.
But, with the global mortality rate for COVID-19 being reported as 3.4%, that’s a risk too big for many. With over 100,000 attendees expected (not any more, I’d wager) can Reed POP really afford the bad news if the worst case scenario occur?
Although, this could all become academic as the Governor for Washington State, Jay Inslee, may well cancel any and all large gatherings, making them illegal, as announced this morning on local radio.
#Breaking: @GovInslee tells Seattle’s Morning News w/ @TheDaveRoss that he is seriously considering making it illegal to hold large public gatherings to limit the spread of #coronavirus #COVID19.
You can listen to the entire interview here ⤵️
🔊 https://t.co/JHdzUB3KHo pic.twitter.com/tz9F349kh3
— KIRO Radio 97.3 FM🎙 (@KIRORadio) March 4, 2020
As for exhibitors; they’ll find out more tomorrow.
More, as always, when we hear anything. But, for updates on those who have already cancelled. check out this handy checklist by Twitter user @hypercasey.
