Omicron Variant May Have Been Already In The U.S. At Anime NYC

(Update) As of approximately 6:45 p.m. today a spokesperson for Anime NYC provided this statement:

“On December 2, we were notified that a visitor to Anime NYC tested positive for the new omicron variant of COVID-19. We have confirmed with New York’s health officials that the event followed all guidance laid out by the city and state, including mask requirements and proof of vaccination for all individuals inside the Javits Center. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the visitor developed mild symptoms on November 22, was tested on November 24, and their symptoms have since resolved. We are working actively with New York City health officials, who recommend anyone who attended Anime NYC get tested.”

(Original article below)

This morning at 9:30 a.m. CST the Minnesota Department of Health posted a bulletin about the Omicron variant of covid-19, and how it had been detected in a resident of the state as far back as Nov. 24. That unidentified adult male reported feeling mild symptoms on Nov. 22, right after returning from “…the Anime NYC 2021 convention at the Javits Center from Nov. 19-21.”

The bulletin doesn’t state whether or not the attendee had the Omicron variant of the virus that causes covid-19 before the convention and brought it with him or picked it up at the convention and brought it back to Minnesota. It does note that he had been vaccinated, and that his symptoms were mild.

This news makes our own first-hand reports of lax enforcement of the mandatory mask policy and perfunctory vaccination proof card checks all the more concerning. Our team member Christina Sciorilli witnessed these enforcement problems herself while attending the recent convention. As Christina noted, on Friday: “When I finally got inside, I noticed that the guidelines they had posted prior to the con were thrown out the window. Masks weren’t being enforced outside or inside the convention, vaccination card checks were done by having attendees simply wave them at the staffers doing the checking and there was no badge check.”

Reports from Saturday and Sunday from attendees didn’t indicate that things were as bad on those days, and Anime NYC did post about fixing the excessively long lines experienced on Friday from attendees of the remaining days, although no mention was made of any change to covid-19 policy enforcement. We’ve reached out to the press contact for Anime NYC for comment, and will update this article if and when we hear back.

In the bulletin from the Minnesota Department of Health, Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm, said: “We still have more to learn about Omicron, but the most important thing we can do right now is to use the tools we have available to make it as hard as possible for this virus to spread. In addition to vaccination and boosters, we can slow the spread of this variant and all COVID-19 variants by using the tried-and-true prevention methods of wearing masks, staying home when sick, and getting tested when appropriate.”

We echo that position. Get your booster shots as soon as you can, go back to wearing your mask in any indoor situation, and if you haven’t got the vaccine at all yet, do so immediately. You might still catch a breakthrough case, as the person from Minnesota did, but the vaccine will help your symptoms be milder than if you are unvaccinated and will likely keep you out of the hospital.

If you like our work and want to show your appreciation, feel free to tip us at Ko-fi or become a patron on Patreon.