Updates
AVL Scarefest Vaccine/Mask Policy
TL;DR:
- We will not be requiring proof of vaccination or masks for this year’s event, in line with other conventions around the country.
- This policy could change if local or federal agencies recommend a change in safety precautions for large gatherings.
- If you believe you have COVID, please test. If you do have COVID, we’ll ask you to go home. This applies to everyone – players, GMs, and event staff.
- We strongly encourage you to get the next booster shot that’s generally available, prior to attending.
Previous Policy Statement
As of the time of this writing, it is August 1, 2022, and we *still have absolutely no idea* what the state of The Plague will be in October. Rest assured we took that janky crystal ball back ages ago…and we thought we were on the right track with Madame Fortuitous Night, the tea leaf reader who correctly predicted that five new miniature baby dire goats would be born in July and that The Overlord would appear in our bunker one morning with a traveling bat circus It would require us to take responsibility for. But even Madame Night seems to have no idea what is coming, when it comes to The Plague.
However, as AVL Scarfefest is now less that three months out we understand that you, our beloved attendees, would like some idea of what to expect so that you can make decisions about whether our plans are in line with your priorities. So here’s what we’re willing to etch in stone right now: we’re going to require that all attendees be vaccinated and have at least one booster shot [EDIT: booster shots will only be required for those who have been vaccinated more than five months previous to the convention]. Cards (or photocopies of cards or pictures of cards) will be checked upon entry, and will be required in order to get your event badge with your schedule. We do understand that some people have moral objections or physical limitations which mean they are not vaccinated, and we’ve really struggled over this decision, as we have always tried to be comprehensively inclusive. However, in the grand scheme of things we actually don’t want to be responsible for a super spreader event. So this is the call we have to make.
Along with the vaccination requirement, we encourage any and everyone to wear masks, though we are not making masks mandatory at this time (we still reserve the right to require masks if things get really dicey out there, though). We will have masks available at the Info Desk if anyone finds themself in need (the Yeti is highly unlikely to eat them, but the clowns have been known to play tricks), and a stockpile of COVID tests in case anyone gets the sniffles. If you test positive, we will ask you to please go home for the good of all. Likewise, we are encouraging all GMs, DMs, and Storytellers to please not come run a game if they test positive or have symptoms. This may mean players have to be a bit flexible, but we hope you feel it’s a fair trade for not coming face to face with The Plague.
Please note that vaccinations and booster shots are completely free and are proven very effective at preventing serious infection with COVID. Also worth noting is that an Omicron-specific booster is anticipated in September, and that seems like a really brilliant thing to add to your future plans if you are planning to attend AVL Scarefest. Or even if you’re not, really. Being sick is the worst.
Thank you for your understanding, and we will update this page if our plan changes.
Previous Previous Policy Statement:
As of the time of this writing, it is April 4, 2022 and we have *absolutely no idea* what the state of The Plague will be in October. Yes, this is distressing, and not only because that crystal ball was expensive, and now we can’t find the weird little vendor so we can return it…
Nevertheless, it is in human nature to want to know, to need assurances about the future, etc. So here’s what we’ve got right now:
We’re not making a call right at this moment about whether we’ll require proof of vaccination and/or masks to attend this year’s Scarefest. But we can tell you upon what metrics that decision will be made. In the weeks leading up to the actual event, we will be monitoring infection rates in the US. The CDC maintains a map of infection rates that breaks it down to a county level. If the levels of new cases in October are high, in the NC and surrounding areas or in the US in general, we will require proof of vaccination for attendance. If we’re living in a solid red block…honestly, we may cancel the convention and refund your money. We seriously do not want to be responsible for a super spreader event, or even one death. We reserve the right to require proof of vaccination even if new cases are registered at medium or low. Please remember that it’s just because we care.
Expect this page, and our FB page, to be updated as events change. If there’s one thing we know at this point, it’s that The Plague is unpredictable. Feel free to contact us directly if you have questions or concerns.