DECEPTA CON COVID TESTING UPDATE

Hi everyone!! While we are still requiring a negative PCR test to attend Decepta Con, a few things have been brought to our attention, so we wanted to make a revised post that covered everything we’ve received questions about.

A negative PCR is required to attend Decepta Con. It is recommended that you also be vaccinated, but the negative test is the only requirement.

Testing Window: We previously stated that you must get a PCR test within 3 days of picking up your badge at DC. We came up with this timeframe because it’s what Dragon Con required, and in the metro Atlanta area, it takes 48-72 hours to receive PCR test results. We have now been informed that not every city is that timely, and with people traveling from afar, we wanted to make sure the timeframe was inclusive of all attendees. The longest period of time that we’ve been informed of is 5 days to receive PCR test results, so we are extending our testing window to Sunday, February 13 as the earliest you can take a test. This will accommodate those in areas where results are taking 5 days. If you take your test on Sunday, at the latest, you should have your results by Friday.

What if I still don’t have my PCR test results by Friday at 5:00pm?

Don’t worry! We have a contingency plan in place. If you show us proof that you took your PCR test earlier in the week (and we don’t mean the day before), and you still have not received your results, we will allow rapid test results from a testing site (taken on the day you arrive), and/or the use of an over-the-counter COVID test to be performed in front of our COVID Coordinator, Tuğana Hediye Türünz, and results verified by her. We ask that if you are concerned that you won’t receive your results in time, please purchase an at-home COVID test and bring it with you, just in case. We will purchase a few to have on hand, incase someone can’t find one. If you need to use one of ours, we will need to be reimbursed for the cost, which is $25. They will be available on a first come, first served basis, permitting the requirements above.

What if I recently had COVID?

This question is pertinent because the CDC states that someone who had COVID-19 can test positive for up to 90 days after getting over the virus, even if they are no longer contagious or symptomatic. The CDC recommends that you take precautions until day 10 after contracting COVID-19; this includes the 5-day isolation.

This is why we are requiring that if you’ve recently had COVID, it must be at least 10 days prior to attending Decepta Con. If you had COVID more than 10 days prior to con, you still need to take the PCR test like everyone else. If your PCR test that week still shows positive, you can provide proof of your first positive COVID test (to prove the date you contracted it on), and you will be cleared to attend the con.

Even with all the precautions, nothing is 100% foolproof. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE wear a mask, socially distance, and reduce/eliminate the possibility of exposure during the crucial time between when you take the PCR test and when you arrive. We appreciate our community reaching out and informing us of things we may not have covered. We don’t claim to know everything, but we are trying our best to make this a safe and enjoyable Decepta Con for everyone!