At New York Comic Con, Masks Are No Longer Just for Fun

As the events industry tries to gain its footing this year after a disastrous 2020, conventions are facing smaller crowds and stricter safety protocols.

At New York Comic Con, which opened Thursday at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, attendees celebrated the return of face-to-face gatherings. But this year, masks at the pop culture event are not just for those in costume; they are required for everyone.

Last year, the pandemic decimated the global events industry, which relies on in-person gatherings for revenue. Trade shows and conventions were canceled or moved online, and empty convention centers were repurposed for hospital overflow. Industry revenue plunged 72 percent from 2019, and more than half the companies in the events business had to cut jobs, according to UFI, a trade group.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/08/business/comic-con-masks-covid.html