The nights have drawn in, and the winter cycle of illnesses returns with disturbing regularity. We are now heading towards the fourth year of COVID stalking our events. However, it has been a conclusion that focus on COVID, using rapidly ageing approaches just for one communicable disease, runs a long- term risk of skewing our approach to maximising our efforts to provide a safer sanitary environment at events.
As Seneschal, it has been anecdotally relayed to me about not just COVID cases, but other active illness cases including norovirus and chicken pox have attended in-person events. This is unacceptable behaviour and gives the impression that personal enjoyment of an event is worth the risk to the health of our friends and colleagues.
What appears to be the case is that the amount of money already spent on an event influences the assessment of one’s health.
While the cost of the SCA event itself is becoming a smaller proportion of the outlay to attend, we can continue to be sympathetic in our approach to full or partial refunds balanced with the costs an event will already have made on our behalf.
For those of us who have spent significant money on travel, vehicle hire, flights, stopover accommodation, etc. it is highly recommended to take out travel insurance as a matter of course.
The consultation will run from December 2023 to end of January 2024. All comments will be considered and the policy edited with a view to be in force from Mid February 2024, and a review slated for the next Parliament.
Please email comments to seneschal@insulaedraconis.org