Anna Daniels
Comic-Con announced the cancelation of some events due to precautions surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19). Events like South by Southwest, Coachella, Paleyfest, the entire NBA season and more have cancelled or postponed. Now, fans wonder whether April’s WonderCon will continue, and the much larger San Diego Comic-Con in July. Comic-Con has not made a decision about either conventions yet, but they have cancelled Comic-Con Museum events until further notice.
The California ruling that Comic-Con has to follow
On March 11, California Governor Gavin Newsom banned public gatherings of 250 people or more through the end of March.
“Non-essential gatherings must be limited to no more than 250 people, while smaller events can proceed only if the organizers can implement social distancing of six feet per person. Gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people, while also following social distancing guidelines. The state’s updated policy defines a ‘gathering’ as any event or convening that brings together people in a single room or single space at the same time, such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, cafeteria, or any other indoor or outdoor space.”
Office of the Governnor of California, 3/11/2020
This decision came at the recommendation of the California Department of Public Health. The CDPH recommended cancelling gatherings such as concerts, conferences, professional/college/school sports and any events in indoor auditoriums, rooms and venues.
“The timely implementation of aggressive strategies that create social distance and those that reduce close contact of people not regularly together, including limiting gatherings, has proven effective in prior pandemics at delaying rates of transmission and reducing illness and death,” the CDPH report read.
Comic-Con Museum events in March
San Diego’s Comic-Con Museum had planned a Pop Culture Science event on The Social Science of Get Out. They say they will issue refunds for any ticketholders to the Friday, March 13 event.
A Tiki Nation Freaky Geeky Ukulele Jam will no longer take place Sunday, March 15. The museum scrubbed its calendar of events clean as it postpones any future events indefinitely.
The official statement
Comic-Con sent out a statement to press on Thursday, March 12 confirming they were following the CDPH’s recommendation.
“Comic-Con (parent company of the Comic-Con Museum) will abide by this recommendation,’ the statement read. “Therefore events currently scheduled for the Comic-Con Museum have been postponed until a later date. Refunds for Pop Culture Science will be processed in the coming days.”
The statement did not address Wonder-Con and kept San Diego Comic-Con open.
“We continue to work closely with officials in San Diego and at this time no decision has been made regarding the rescheduling of Comic-Con slated to take place this summer; July 23-26, 2020,” the Comic-Con statement read. “We urge everyone to follow the recommendations set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and your local health officials.”
Written by: Cheat
