I ran a Twitter poll for the last several days, asking this question: After attending the INTA Annual Meeting in DC, did you test positive for Covid? The results are set out below. I take no position regarding the statistical significance of these results, but look forward to comments regarding same.
If these poll results hold true for the entire 6,800 people in attendance, that would mean more than 1,750 attendees tested positive for Covid. The ramifications of that number of infections are troublesome, to say the least.
A few side notes: Several people have told me that, based on conversations with others, they think the positive rate was even higher: closer to 50%. One of the surprising things I heard is that the opening speaker, at the end of his speech, told his listeners that each of them should hug eight other people in the room. Not a good idea, I think.
Read comments and post your comment here.
Text Copyright John L. Welch 2022.
This is the primary reason I stayed at home this year. I just didn't think it was prudent to attend such a large event.
ReplyDeleteThere were probably a statistically significant number of attendees who had previously been infected with covid and therefore had antibodies going into the conference (including me), so higher "No" responses.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, Covid is not even a bad case of the flu. I thought the live event was terrific, as was the hugging.
ReplyDelete1,000,000 dead Americans can’t all be wrong.
DeleteWould this survey methodology survive a Daubert challenge?
ReplyDeleteYes. Tested positive. INTA Annual Meeting officially a Super Spreader Event.
ReplyDeleteThe Yes vote might not fully reflect the true rate of infection. In my case, for instance, I did not vote in this poll because I was too sick to see it in time.
ReplyDeleteA pox upon INTA for its discriminatory embrace of mandating reception of ineffective vaccines for attendees. Just more of the bloated and ineffective governmental and corporate responses to Covid.
ReplyDeleteA “pox”? Really?
DeleteHow many got really sick? Testing positive for covid today is about as common as seeing someone run a red light on your way to work.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting poll would be to ask how many people expected to go to an international gathering of 6,000+ people from 190 countries and not get infected with something.
I wasn't aware of the poll, nor were four of my friends, but all 5 of us had COVID when we got back. In addition, I know of six others personally, who caught it at INTA, but I have no idea if they saw the poll or not.
ReplyDeleteOf the four people I know who tested positive, one was very sick, one went on Paxlovid, and the third lost the sense of taste.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know hugging was a thing at INTA events! Sign me up! Lawyers need love too.
ReplyDeleteyou caught a bad cold
ReplyDeleteget over it
The silly band event with over 900 people packed in the Hard Rock Cafe with loud music and booze was a real way to avoid Covid
ReplyDeleteCOVID went through INTA like wildfire. That was predictable and the reason I stayed home. Before calling it a "bad cold" or a "bad case of the flu" read up on the most recent data on long COVID. And give some thought to those you infect. The deaths continue. Do we care so much about our careers that we take needless risks of this sort? What does that say about us as a profession?
ReplyDeleteI'm inhouse. COVID kept me away this year. Those in private practice have a stronger incentive to attend INTA, and I see why some felt compelled to attend. But if I did attend, and caught COVID from one of my outside counsel, I would have trouble maintaining the relationship.
ReplyDelete