A little while ago the fine folks at PAX announced that they’ll be back in business in Seattle for the 2021 iteration of PAX West – and that may have a lot of you wondering how that’s going to work with the COVID still happening. Below is the official statement from Kyle Marsden-Kish, the Global Gaming Event Director for ReedPop, but in a nutshell you’re going to need a vaccination card or a negative test to get in:
“Throughout the year, the PAX team has been actively working to support a safe environment for our PAX West visitors. We are pleased to announce that, in line with the recommendations of state and local public health authorities, we will be implementing a vaccination or negative COVID-19 test requirement for everyone at PAX West. We appreciate your patience as we worked with our venue and the authorities to create our comprehensive plan.
Prior to entry we will now require proof of a completed COVID-19 vaccination series or a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test, each to be verified with a valid, government issued ID. If you have purchased badges and have questions or concerns about this requirement, please reach out to PAX Questions at PAX_Questions@PAXsite.com.
When PAX West 2021 badges were announced, the PAX Team made the decision to communicate what we could commit to at that time, rather than what we were working toward. While we let the community know the health and safety guidelines could evolve, we wanted to get it right and we feel confident that verification of fully vaccination or negative test, along with continued face covering requirements for everyone, will create an environment that promotes the wellbeing of our PAX community.
The PAX team is steadfast in our commitment to health and safety, including reduced capacity and mandatory face coverings to be worn at all times by attendees, exhibitors, staff, and Enforcers. We will continue to evaluate our policies, listen to feedback from the community, follow the guidance of public health officials, and do everything in our power to make PAX West as safe as possible. We will always do what we can to support the global gaming community and the cities PAX calls home.
For those interested in joining us at PAX West 2021, we’re pleased to announce that the currently sold-out 4-day badges will be available again for sale shortly here in a limited capacity.”
We’re glad PAX and ReedPop are taking this so seriously – even a regular year can yield various strains of con crud with that many people packed into a contained space. While they’re still likely to evolve, you can get the latest health and safety information from PAX here.
