Since we returned in 2022 to having in-person conventions, our disease mitigation policy has required attendees to wear a mask (with some exemptions), and requested that you are vaccinated if possible and also have a negative antigen test before the convention.

We are once again be requiring attendees to wear a mask during the 2025 convention. 

We appreciate that some of you are unhappy with our masking policy, but Octocon feels strongly that this simple measure goes a long way towards protecting everyone in our community from illness, and ensures that our more vulnerable members can attend the convention too.

The same measures that have protected us against Covid-19, such as vaccinations, testing and masks, also help protect us against other illnesses such as flus and colds, and we have anecdotally seen a decrease in cases of common con-crud over the past few years of masked conventions.

As always, we accommodate legitimate exemptions such as medical conditions. We do not need details, but we request that you inform the registration desk so that we can mark your badge accordingly.

We acknowledge that even with these precautions in place, some members will not be able to attend in person and we are glad people are making the best informed decision for themselves, which is why we have an online membership so people can attend safely from home.

If you have cold/flu or Covid-19 symptoms

Do not attend the convention in-person if you have cold/flu or Covid-19 symptoms. All Adult, Concession and YA memberships give access to our online programme and events.

Octocon asks anyone who develops cold/flu or Covid-19 symptoms during the convention to self-isolate as far as possible and stay away from public convention areas for the sake of other members and venue staff and guests. If you are happy to do so, please let us know via a support ticket on our Discord server or by email to .

Masks

Face masks must be worn at all times over the nose and mouth, except when actively eating and drinking in the bar and restaurant areas.  This includes while seated in programme items and while moving around the venue.  Face visors are not accepted as a substitute for masks because they offer insufficient protection against virus transmission. A small number of disposable masks will be available at the Information Desk if you have forgotten your mask.

Members who have a legitimate exemption from mask-wearing (for example, children under the age of 11; people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability; or people for whom putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause severe distress) must inform the registration desk so their badge can be marked.  Wearing this will help convention volunteers and prevent unnecessary challenges.

Panellists and other programme participants: We will supply paper masks for use during panels and other programme items as these work better with microphones than cloth masks.

Enforcement

Compliance with this policy is a condition of attending Octocon in person.  Breach of it will be treated as a Code of Conduct matter.  

Moderators of programme items will be asked to remind attendees to wear masks and encourage them to make full use of the space available in programme rooms at the beginning of each programme item.   

Octocon volunteers will gently remind anyone seen not wearing a mask, or not wearing it correctly, to do so. They will be aware of the badge marker which indicates a person is exempt.   Harassment of anyone who reminds people to comply with this policy will be treated as a Code of Conduct matter.

Breaching the code of conduct and/or the Disease Mitigation Policy can result in being asked to leave the convention and being barred from attending future conventions. 

Post-convention Reporting

If you test positive within 14 days of attending Octocon, we would ask that you contact us via , and if you can let us know what programme items you took part in. We will make an anonymous report to our members, so they can assess their risk and take tests. 

Data Protection

For privacy and GDPR reasons, Octocon will not keep records of any convention member’s vaccination status, medical exemption from vaccination, or medical exemption from mask-wearing.  Octocon will not ask for the reasons for medical exemption from vaccination or mask-wearing.