Topline
A swinger’s convention held in the midst of a massive coronavirus spike has become the latest super-spreader event, with at least 41 people testing positive for coronavirus after attending the New Orleans convention last month, the event’s organizer said, even after touting new safety protocols, claiming that “masks are the new condoms.”
A swinger's convention became the latest Covid super-spreader.
Key Facts
In a blog post, organizer Bob Hannaford said 41 out of the 300 or so people that attended the Naughty in N’awlins convention had tested positive for Covid-19, while noting that the number of positive tests has been rising quickly.
One of the attendees had to be hospitalized and was in “serious condition” but has since been released.
Hannaford said he regretted hosting the convention and that he’s unsure how it became a super-spreader event, saying that attendees either had to test negative or have Covid-19 antibodies.
The event took “extraordinary measures,” including temperature checks and requiring masks in all public places, with Hannaford telling The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate that “masks are the new condoms” when it comes to preventing disease spread in the swinger community.
The annual event usually draws thousands of swingers to New Orleans.
Crucial Quote
“If I could go back in time, I would not produce this event again,” Hannaford said. “The reason I wouldn’t is that I know of two people who had a tougher time and they were suffering. One of them, a good friend of mine, was hospitalized in serious condition.”
Surprising Fact
The event included several informational seminars, one of which was called “Swinging in a Covid world.”
Big Number
4 million. That’s how many Americans are estimated to take part in swinging, according to the Kinsey Institute.
Key Background
Coronavirus hospitalizations continue to climb to new records in the U.S., reaching 96,039 on Monday, according to The COVID Tracking Project. New cases and reported deaths have declined in recent days, but those statistics have been skewed due to limited reporting after the Thanksgiving holiday. Health officials are worried Thanksgiving travel and gatherings might lead to the most rampant Covid spread at any point in the pandemic, with CNN medical analyst Dr. Megan Ranney saying “this is like a natural disaster occurring in all 50 states at the same time.”
Further Reading
'Masks are the new condoms': How swingers are adapting in New Orleans amid coronavirus (The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
