What happens when you mandate masks at a conference now that most people no longer wear them but medically vulnerable people are still at risk because #CovidIsNotOver? In the case of #PyConUS, the conference sells out.
Why a masking policy? “Many of us and our fellow community members can’t attend without health and safety guidelines in place. We want PyCon US to be an event that everyone feels safe attending,” organizers explained.
@smach@pycon OMG this just fills my heart. I’ve been so frustrated by the number of conferences, particularly those that are supposed to be about accessibility, that do not require masking or provide a safe space for their most vulnerable attendees.
are medically vulnerable and need others to mask around them +
live with such people +
would rather not to get Covid for no good reason and see masks as a small price to pay for a large reduction in risk
. . . is larger than a lot of people think.
I make masking decisions based on indoor ventilation - yes, I carry my CO2 monitor around - combined with Covid wastewater levels. But separately I'd be happy to mask at an event to help others.
@cferdinandi@smach@pycon I used to feel self-conscious about being the only person wearing a mask in shops or public transport. But I talked to friends about it, and they said whenever they see someone wearing a mask, they think “oh that’s smart, I should do that too.” Plus me and my partner have barely been sick this year, which is wonderful.
@chriswood@smach@pycon being the only one very much sucks. Perk of being neurodivergent, though, is that I’m used to being the odd one out and don’t care anymore.
@cferdinandi@chriswood@smach@pycon very much this. AuDHD, tall for a woman and my hair constantly changes colour. Adding a mask in public honestly hasn't noticeably changed the level of staring
@smach@pycon Trouble is ... people have to get there somehow. And the US is a big place. And I have yet to hear of any airline offering a believable guarantee of a zero covid journey (including airports and transfers).
@TimWardCam@smach@pycon Indeed, it's why it would be nice for UK and EU conference organisers to consider a public health policy.
Which realistically needs our more prominent FLOSS folks to consider seriously asking for public health policies and if there aren't any not attending and saying why.
But a more likely thing is the rest of us politely asking for these policies and if an event has a code of conduct as well.
@onepict@TimWardCam I'm so sorry how Long Covid has affected you. One of my closest friends has a horrible case of Long Covid. She can't risk another case of Covid either. (I'm not particularly interested in risking long-term organ damage for no good reason, and "I don't feel like wearing a mask" doesn't seem like a good reason if I'm in a crowded indoor space. )
Add comment