PAX East Vendor Reports Positive COVID Tests, Helps Public Track Exposures

PAX East Vendor Reports Positive COVID Tests, Helps Public Track Exposures

PAX East 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts has had its first known case of a COVID-19 exposure during the event.

The exposure was first reported by Massachusetts tabletop store Pandemonium Books and Games, which has a booth at the convention at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The store keeps track of its potential exposures on its website, and notes three known possible exposures from the convention as of this writing:

Tuesday @Pandemonium and @Pax East Convention 10am-5:30pm
Wednesday @Pax East Convention 10am-5:30pm
Thursday April 21 @Pax East Convention 9:30am-3:30pm

Pandemonium also posted about the exposure on its official Twitter account to spread the word, though Fanbyte went to the booth to ask for clarification as to whether or not it was referring to an in-store exposure or one at the convention center, as the tweet itself didn’t include a link to the exposure tracker site or specify a location. When we asked those working the booth about specifics, they told Fanbyte the “check out website’s covid page for more info” part of the tweet was originally meant to say “check our website’s covid page for more info,” but that key word that would have directed people to was mistyped as the company attempted to get the information out while still working at the booth on the show floor. The tweet noted both staff exposures and customers who had later tested positive after the event.

Covid exposure notice.

There have been exposures from staff and customers who later tested positive, check out website’s covid page for more info.

Here’s the CDC link on what to do if you have been exposed: https://t.co/hbYevVu05q

Stay safe and be well! pic.twitter.com/9GHxbzYiRB

— Pandemonium Books and Games (@pandygamesma) April 23, 2022

Tyler Stewart, the owner of the store, told Fanbyte that two employees had positive COVID tests on Friday, April 21, and didn’t attend PAX that day. One of them never attended the event, and another left after receiving a positive test. Anyone who worked with those employees took COVID tests, and was only on the show floor after a negative result.

“We always try to be as forthcoming and as transparent as possible,” Stewart says. “I think I owe it to my staff, and I owe it to my customers. There’s no point in hiding it. Because that’s what we should do. We do our best to try in our little corner of the world to make everything a little safer for everyone. I’m very devoted to the community that Pandemonium has built over the years. I’m very protective of it. We need to do what we can to keep that community thriving, growing, and not getting sick.”

PAX East 2022 required both proof of COVID-19 vaccination and for attendees to wear a mask at all times, except for in the event’s designated eating areas. We’ve reached out to Reedpop, the organizer of PAX East, for comment on the situation and will update the story if we hear back.

Author: Deann Hawkins