In an effort to provide an in-person event in as safe and responsible a way as possible, we have adopted the following COVID-19 policy. All attendees, presenters, and special guests will be required to abide by this policy while in Mysterium spaces. We cannot control other spaces, such as public areas of the hotel.
Importantly, a modified policy will be in effect for the Cyan visit on Saturday. We cannot guarantee that special guests and Cyan staff will be masked or vaccinated. We’re looking into the feasibility of streaming content from the Cyan visit for anyone who cannot attend. If you have questions about Cyan’s covid policy, please feel free to reach out to Jeff Lanctot at jeff@cyan.com.
This policy is meant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, but we cannot prevent it entirely. By attending Mysterium you acknowledge this, and agree to assume the risk that you may be exposed to COVID-19.
If you have any questions about our covid policies, please reach out to us at covid@mysterium.net.
Vaccination Requirements
Mysterium will be following CDC recommendations regarding what constitutes being ‘up-to-date’ on COVID-19 vaccinations, with the additional requirement that all attendees must have received a bivalent booster dose.
A completed primary vaccination series will not be sufficient to attend the convention. You must have a bivalent vaccine dose. This policy is, in part, to protect the many high-risk members of our community.
Attendees will be required to present proof of vaccination to attend Mysterium. Attempts to forge vaccination records will be considered a policy violation, and will result in removal from the convention and possibly a lifetime ban from Mysterium. The matter will also be referred to relevant authorities.
If you were vaccinated in a country that does not provide access to CDC-approved vaccines (Moderna/Pfizer/Novavax/J&J), please reach out to us at covid@mysterium.net. We will work with you on a case-by-case basis to approve your vaccination record.
Given that we stream the majority of our content for free, we will not be allowing any exemptions from this policy.
You can find more information about the CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine policies at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html.
Note: Due to authorization changes from the FDA, attendees residing in the United States may only need a single Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine dose depending on when you received your vaccine. See “How do I know if I received a bivalent booster?” for more information.
Masking Requirements
Masks will be required at all times while in indoor convention spaces. We will also enforce any federal health mandates, as well as those issued by state and local authorities, or any policies set by our hotel.
We strongly encourage attendees to wear N95/KN95 respirators (or equivalent international standard as described here), but surgical masks will also be allowed. Masks must cover the nose and mouth fully. Masks must not have holes or exhalation valves. Cloth masks, gaiters, bandanas, mesh masks, costume masks, and similar are not permitted, unless worn over the permitted mask styles listed above. If you wear something over your approved mask, we may ask to verify what is under it.
Refusal to wear a mask will be considered a policy violation, and may result in removal from the convention.
COVID-19 Related Refunds
While our normal refund policy ends 90 days before the convention, please let us know if you need to cancel closer to Mysterium due to a positive COVID-19 test/diagnosis. This includes situations where you may live with someone who tests positive within 7 days of the convention. We will work with you on a case-by-case basis to arrange a refund of your registration fee, and/or ship you any swag/merchandise you would have received.
Testing
We do not have a testing requirement, but we recommend that you test before traveling to the convention. If you feel sick while at Mysterium, we recommend testing and isolation away from Mysterium attendees and staff.
If you test positive during Mysterium, you must inform us immediately and should isolate at home or in your hotel room. We stream most of our content online, so you will still be able to view most presentations and events. We ask that you also inform us if you test positive after the convention has ended, so that we can inform other attendees of possible contact.
COVID-19 Policy Updates
We will update our COVID-19 policies as required in the months leading up to the convention, and will do our best to announce those updates on our website and on social media. However, the policy will still be enforced even if you miss one of the updates. Every effort will be made to avoid further changes after the refund cutoff point. However, we recognize that as the situation evolves, it may be necessary for further minor changes or clarifications to be made, particularly if government or hotel requirements change. We will make every effort to communicate these changes to attendees as quickly and clearly as possible.
2023 COVID-19 Policy FAQ
- If you completed an initial vaccine course (2-dose or single-dose), then you must have obtained a Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech booster on or after September 1, 2022.
- If you did not complete an initial vaccine course, you must have obtained a single Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine dose on or after April 19, 2023.
| Booster Manufacturer | Date |
|---|---|
| Moderna | September 1, 2022 |
| Pfizer-BioNTech | October 7, 2022 |
Bivalent vaccines are generally available in the US and Canada. If they are unavailable in your country (or are available, but not to you), please reach out to us at covid@mysterium.net to discuss the situation. Limited exemptions to the requirement that your vaccine be bivalent may be possible under special circumstances.
No. As noted above, we may make minor updates, but the core of the policy (vaccine and masking requirements) is final.
Sorry but no*. If you are unable to attend due to vaccination and masking requirements, we will once again be offering a number of free activities online this year.
*the one possible, limited, exception is detailed in the FAQ question, “What if I am unable to get a bivalent booster?”
For attendees from outside the United States:
The following CDC-recognized vaccines will be accepted as your primary course:
2 doses of any of the following
- Pfizer-BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca/Covishield
- Covaxin
- BIBP/Sinopharm
- Sinovac
- Novavax/Covovax
OR
1 dose of any of the following
- Janssen-Johnson & Johnson
- CanSino
See elsewhere in the FAQ for information about the required bivalent boosters.
United States attendees may not be required to have obtained a primary vaccine course, depending on the date the vaccine was received. See “How do I know if I received a bivalent booster?” for information on vaccine requirements for US attendees.
- Original, photocopy, or photograph of CDC-issued COVID vaccination card
- Original, photocopy, or photograph of WHO-recognized international COVID vaccination card
- Digital SMART Health Card with a QR code (e.g., from the myColorado app) – see a list of issuers here
All forms must contain your full name, the brand of vaccine received, and the date(s) of each dose. Attendees over 18 must also display a photo ID with proof of vaccination.
If you are unable to use one of the above options, please reach out to us at covid@mysterium.net well in advance to discuss.
Staff will be checking your vaccination card (paper or digital) before issuing badges. After you collect your badge, you can pick up your t-shirt and swag (if any). Once your information has been verified, you will not need to show your proof of vaccination again during the weekend.
If you use a digital card, please have it ready on your phone for scanning. We’d also recommend having your paper card on hand as a backup, as Mysterium will not be responsible for any technical issues.
For anyone who pre-registered online, we will provide the option to show proof of vaccine and pick up your badge on Thursday evening (check the schedule page for times). This will allow you to save time on Friday and skip directly to the swag/t-shirt table.
We also may provide an option for you to show us you proof of vaccination virtually before the con weekend, but we have no further details on that at this time.
The short version is that we will not store any of your vaccination information. Once we verify your vaccination status, we will mark it on your registration.
For on-site verification, we will only be asking attendees to display records at the time badges are issued. Verification will be as follows:
- Physical vaccine cards (or photographs/photocopies thereof): The card will be visually inspected. No information will be stored.
- SMART cards: We will use the SMART Verifier app, which prevents any information from being saved, including screenshots.
Attempts to forge vaccination records will be considered a policy violation, and will result in removal from the convention and possibly a lifetime ban from Mysterium. The matter will also be referred to relevant authorities.
For transportation, contact your carrier for their cancellation policies. Hotel rooms booked at the Mysterium rate may be canceled up until three days prior to arrival without penalty, after which time the hotel will charge you some portion of your reservation.
This is a personal decision you will have to make. We encourage attendees to stay aware of current local infection rates and risks via the COVID-19 portal at the Spokane Regional Health District website here: https://covid.srhd.org/
- A lot of health networks will have their own patient portal where you can access all your records. (ie, MyChart, Patient Gateway, MyHealthONE, etc). From there, under “My Record”, there will be either a specific button for COVID-19 and your vaccination record will be there. It could also be listed under “immunizations”. Nearly every patient portal will have an app for cell phones, but can also be brought up on your web browser.
- Some state health departments have registries (Immune Information Systems) that include your childhood and adult vaccines. You can request your immunization records from there, either by sending in a form, or some states have apps for this (ie, New Jersey has the Docket app). Lost vaccination cards are common, so it won’t be that much trouble to find yours through the state.
- Pharmacies. Even if you got your shots at different pharmacies, each pharmacy will have a record of which shot they gave and when. For example, I got three of mine at CVS, but my fourth at Rite Aid, and I can see the three at CVS while Rite Aid shows the most recent shot given.
Yes, the bus is considered part of the convention space, and therefore masks will be required.
Yes, masking will be required by attendees at all times when in indoor Mysterium spaces. Please see above for more detailed information.
Yes. While it is recommended to bring your own masks, we will have a supply of surgical masks available.
No. There is an inherent risk in travel as well as any large gatherings. While vaccines are effective at reducing the risk of infection and serious illness, there is still some risk of infection. Decide for yourself if you are comfortable with this risk.
While our normal refund policy ends 90 days before the convention, please let us know if you need to cancel closer to Mysterium due to a positive COVID-19 test/diagnosis. This includes situations where you may live with someone who tests positive within 7 days of the convention. We will work with you on a case-by-case basis to arrange a refund of your registration fee, and/or ship you any swag/merchandise you would have received.
COVID Policy Update History
- 2023-01-24 – Initial version
- 2023-02-03 – Added FAQ and clarified the policy modifications in effect while at Cyan HQ
- 2023-04-23 – Updated United States vaccine information to reflect FDA authorization change
- 2023-06-02 – Added clarification that masks are required on the bus to Cyan
- 2023-06-20 – Added suggestions on where to find proof of vaccine information