Cases of Coronavirus confirmed in Massachusetts - should I be worried?

jim2point0

My wife and I are planning to attend PAX East, but we recently learned that there have been confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Massachusetts. Now we're wondering if we should cancel our trip.

Is anyone else worried about this, or am I being overly paranoid?

Skrepo

I'd be more worried of PAX Pox, before the Coronavirus. You're more likely to get the flu than the Coronavirus. Bring hand sanitizer and practice general cold and flu preventive habits and you should be fine.

EL_Limon_Cubano

We live in Boston and everything has been normal here. Only thing is of course the crowd at PAX, but even still confirmed cases in US seem to be controlled. I would not cancel

DeathJest3r

Last I checked it was a single confirmed case of CoV in Boston. With all the Chinese travel quarantine procedures in place now I think your risk of infection is low.

As per the CDC: "Imported cases of COVID-19 in travelers have been detected in the U.S. Person-to-person spread of COVID-19 also has been seen among close contacts of returned travelers from Wuhan, but at this time, this virus is NOT currently spreading in the community in the United States."

MephistoN7

One company is concerned:

https://twitter.com/gameinformer/status/1230195854511951872?s=21

Le_Goat

I don't think your concern with COVID-19 is unwarranted, but it's not the case in Boston that you should be concerned about. 35,000+ people pack the halls of PAX East every day, and these are people traveling from all over the country and also from other parts of the world. The single case in Boston involved a student who traveled back from China and voluntarily turned himself over to be quarantined. What all of the PAX attendees bring with them is a bigger concern, and it's the same concern every PAX.

Someone mentioned PAX Pox - it's real and it happens every single year. I've caught it a few times and it's ranged from Strep to the Flu. All these people bringing their colds with them, touching controllers, screens, handles, rails, etc. It's bound to happen when that many people crowd into a single area for 4 days with little rest and worse-than-normal hygiene. I'm not going to say that you're 100% safe from COVID-19; no one is when travelling is involved. But, if your major concern with COVID-19 is the single case in Boston, then it you're looking in the wrong spot. The chances of something like this happening is more like going to Disney World where people are coming in from all parts of the world than some sick dude who is sitting in a hospital nearby.

jim2point0

Le_Goat wrote: »

But, if your major concern with COVID-19 is the single case in Boston, then it you're looking in the wrong spot.

I actually didn't know it was just a single case. I've gone to PAX East several times before and have never gotten sick, though I generally have a decent immune system. But this was just a little more worrying than catching a cold/flu so I thought I'd ask.

The news about Sony canceling is a big bummer though. Especially since they seem to be the only ones (so far).

jayh0va

jim2point0 wrote: »

I've gone to PAX East several times before and have never gotten sick

Sorcerer!!

No but seriously. Pox is bad.....some years worse than others and I don't know about you but the flu has been BRUTAL in the Hartford area this year. I'm bringing a gallon of sanitizer, skipping VR and likely most playable demos. Definitely skeeved out by Corona, but its that Pox I fear.

Cabadrin

I wouldn't be worried about the Coronavirus at all, IMO. The US cases are extremely limited, and as a Boston resident who lives in an area with a high population of Chinese nationals, it's totally fine. Like those above said, be more worried about the regular flu or head colds passed around at PAX! The BCEC said they'll have extra sanitation stations.

I think cancelling due to a single case in Massachusetts is being a bit too paranoid. Even Sony cancelling has more to do with the number of cases in Japan than the number at PAX or Boston.

GeekyPanda404

I would be more worried about the Flu than anything else, just remember to wash your hands, cover your coughs, use hand sanitizer, etc.