A California tech executive is facing the reality of a decision to hold an in-person conference for over 80 people that fast becomes a 'super spreader' event.
According to SF Gate, Peter Diamandis, who co-founded several space companies and the Silicon Valley business incubator Singularity University wrote in a blog on his personal website that he “thought creating a COVID ‘Immunity Bubble’ for a small group in a TV studio setting was possible.”
Diamandis goes on to explain that his annual conference, Abundance 360, gathers hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs to learn and brainstorm. Due to COVID-19 the conference went almost all-virtual, but about 80 people flew in to attend in- person -- paying around $30,000 to meet at offices in Culver City.
Diamandis explains in detail about the testing, social distancing and mask protocols the group took. But also what went wrong.
“Just as importantly, it is a story of what questions remain to be answered about the accuracy of testing before we can safely return to work, travel, relax in small groups, or see our kids off to school. If any of you have ever experienced a new confidence or an impulse to lower your vigilance with masks and social distancing after receiving a negative PCR test, you need to read this,” he writes.
MIT Technology Review writes that at least 32 people contracted COVID-19 from the conference.
“We did not make it a requirement to wear masks 100% of the time at the studio," he wrote. "This is definitely one of my biggest failings and one of the most important lessons learned."
Diamandis told SF Gate that 'to include the family members who have had cases,' a total of 32 'seems probably low.'" Diamandis himself has also tested positive and experienced symptoms.