Event company Reedpop has decided to bring this year's PAX West to Seattle from September 3-6. Of course, it's great to see the gradual return of live events, but what's bothering some people about this year's PAX West is pretty simple. The event has a list of health and safety precautions, including a commitment to empty trash cans more often, but does not require attendees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Mandatory vaccination events have been held in Washington and other states, the most recent notable example being a large Foo Fighters concert in New York City. However, other events have opted not to require vaccination of attendees, and PAX West is one such event.

The event's official page states that attendees are required to check their temperature daily (non-refundable!) ), mandatory wearing of face masks, adherence to social distance guidelines, mandatory greeting each other without touching each other, and a list of other precautionary measures. Most of this is common sense, but it remains to be seen how strictly it will be followed and enforced.

Most people will be familiar with the term "con crud," which refers to the fact that attendees of such events often catch colds and flus afterward. This has been such a factor at past PAX events that the nickname "PAX pox" was coined over a decade ago, and was given credence by the swine flu outbreak at the 2009 event.

Conventions are the best times, and I've attended dozens of them over the years, but ground zero for picking up little bugs: huge crowds, physical proximity, compromised immune systems from traveling and staying up late, trashy food (hey, who doesn't like overpriced hot dogs), and peripherals used by hundreds before you. Of course, it is ReedPop's right to hold PAX West under whatever rules it deems appropriate.