ACE Comic Con Implements New Rules Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

As soon as I hit publish on the news about ECCC being postponed, ACE Comic Con released some news about their con as well. It’s hard to keep up with the flood of COVID-19 con updates, but I’ll keep trying!

ACE Comic Con, like the Creation Entertainment con scheduled in Vegas this weekend for Supernatural, has implemented a ‘no touching’ rule to lower the risk of spread for the Coronavirus. The event is scheduled to take place March 20th-22nd in Boston, Massachusetts and we currently have two of our own journalists scheduled to be in attendance at the con.

Please see below for the steps we are taking to ensure everyone has a safe and positive experience at ACE Comic Con Northeast. pic.twitter.com/JvB4s9qMM1

— ACEcomiccon (@ACEcomiccon) March 6, 2020

During Photo Ops & Autographs – Handshakes, hugs, requests to hold props during photo ops, and physical contact will not be permitted. No gifts, letters, or cards will be accepted by celebrity guests so we ask that you do not bring in those items.

We are requiring all fans to utilize hand sanitizing stations prior to entering your photo op and/or autograph. These stations are located at the entrance of each booth, prior to your ticket being collected.

We are working closely with the BCEC [Boston Convention and Exhibition Center) as they are using enhanced cleaning measures to ensure all surface areas are cleaned every 30 minutes, including lavatory fixtures, paper towel dispensers, vanity tops, mirrors, and door handles.

Like the Creation Entertainment event in Las Vegas, many fans have expressed disappointment at the high cost of the photo ops and autographs while being severely restricted with their interactions with the guests. Many are demanding that the con gets postponed or cancelled, or at the very least these items and/or convention tickets be refunded.

Right now there are conflicting reports about being able to get refunds on these purchases, with the vast majority of people posting on social media stating they have been unable to do so, but a few saying they had successfully received a refund. Please contact ACE Comic Con directly to confirm.

There are currently 8 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in Massachusetts, but, as mentioned before, when it comes to conventions the number of local cases could be a moot point. Conventions draw attendees from a huge geographical region, often including a worldwide audience. Our own two attendees are traveling from Iowa and New York to attend the event.

Another issue is the extreme under-reporting that is likely happening. Only 1895 people have been tested at this time, though new tests are rolling out and this number could rapidly change in the coming days. 

Conventions scheduled for the next few weeks need to be pro-active, even if their area hasn’t been labeled as a hot spot at this time. The under-reporting and the number of guests traveling into the events make any convention a high-risk situation.

For more convention updates, please bookmark our Coronavirus Convention and Theme Park masterpost. We will update that page as we learn new information, so check back frequently.

Author: Angel Wilson

Angel is the admin of The Geekiary and a geek culture commentator. They earned a BA in Film & Digital Media from UC Santa Cruz. They have contributed to various podcasts and webcasts including An Englishman in San Diego, Free to Be Radio, and Genre TV for All. They’ve also written for Friends of Comic Con and is a 2019 Hugo Award winner for contributing fanfic on AO3. They identify as queer.

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