4 ms·

To explain the cavalier attitude expressed by people with symptoms: the “CES Flu” is a real thing. I’ve gone 11 years in a row now, and either me or my brother

To explain the cavalier attitude expressed by people with symptoms: the “CES Flu” is a real thing. I’ve gone 11 years in a row now, and either me or my brother usually catches it every year. Something about thousands of international visitors in the same space, touching all the same things I guess. Interestingly, I took a really proactive approach this year with liberal hand sanitizer usage and neither of us got sick!

chx 6y ago
Drupal Flu too. DrupalCon, an event with just a few thousand attendees practically always spread illness. Read https://groups.drupal.org/node/294978 https://groups.drupal.org/node/294978 this post from 2013, it'll be eerily familiar: > Learn to wash your hands properly. We all think we know how to wash our hands, but most of us don't. Really. > Wash your hands regularly, especially after lots of handshaking (Some people even wish we could avoid shaking hands), or handling money — and always before eating. > Don't touch your face, especially your eyes, nose or mouth. Really, covid instructions are nothing new.
- geerlingguy 6y ago
  I've personally gotten the 'Drupal Flu' twice, there are just so many surfaces and items that multiple people (often hundreds) touch including elevator buttons, door handles, coffee carafes, stuff on vendor tables, etc. — even if you are diligent in washing hands and trying to avoid rubbing eyes, etc., it doesn't take much. It's telling that usually one or two vendors have a freebie that consists of some sample-size medication and vitamin packs.
tjohns 6y ago
This is a known phenomenon at science fiction conventions as well, typically known as "con crud". It's not uncommon for a large percentage of attendees to all get sick immediately after an event. It turns out conventions of any type are excellent vectors for spreading contagion.
- __blockcipher__ 6y ago
  And it should be almost tautologically obvious, but this is extremely common for music festivals, which adds in the additional challenges of low sleep and immunocompromise caused by drug usage (drugs like mdma are thought to be immunosuppressive in recreational doses)
leetbulb 6y ago
My first time at CES (and AVN in the same week), a number of years ago, I left with something that resembled the flu and a sinus infection. Everyone told me that's typical.

chx 6y ago

Drupal Flu too. DrupalCon, an event with just a few thousand attendees practically always spread illness. Read https://groups.drupal.org/node/294978 https://groups.drupal.org/node/294978 this post from 2013, it'll be eerily familiar: > Learn to wash your hands properly. We all think we know how to wash our hands, but most of us don't. Really. > Wash your hands regularly, especially after lots of handshaking (Some people even wish we could avoid shaking hands), or handling money — and always before eating. > Don't touch your face, especially your eyes, nose or mouth. Really, covid instructions are nothing new.

geerlingguy 6y ago
I've personally gotten the 'Drupal Flu' twice, there are just so many surfaces and items that multiple people (often hundreds) touch including elevator buttons, door handles, coffee carafes, stuff on vendor tables, etc. — even if you are diligent in washing hands and trying to avoid rubbing eyes, etc., it doesn't take much. It's telling that usually one or two vendors have a freebie that consists of some sample-size medication and vitamin packs.

tjohns 6y ago

This is a known phenomenon at science fiction conventions as well, typically known as "con crud". It's not uncommon for a large percentage of attendees to all get sick immediately after an event. It turns out conventions of any type are excellent vectors for spreading contagion.

__blockcipher__ 6y ago
And it should be almost tautologically obvious, but this is extremely common for music festivals, which adds in the additional challenges of low sleep and immunocompromise caused by drug usage (drugs like mdma are thought to be immunosuppressive in recreational doses)

leetbulb 6y ago

My first time at CES (and AVN in the same week), a number of years ago, I left with something that resembled the flu and a sinus infection. Everyone told me that's typical.