Policy for disease prevention at Norwegian Dragonkin Gathering
Norwegian Dragonkin Gathering often includes time in spaces that are not necessarily well ventilated. We share bedrooms, sit on the bus together, cook food and eat together. All of this inevitably brings ample opportunities for contagious diseases to spread. Norwegian Dragonkin Gathering is set in such a way that everyone arrives and mingles over the course of a couple of days, with the event starting in earnest three days in. This means that any contagious illness being brought in will start affecting people when the event is just beginning.
Up to, and including 2018 we have been very fortunate to avoid any outbreaks of diseases during Norwegian Dragonkin Gathering. However, times are changing, and 2019, 2022, and 2023 all experienced a certain degree of spread of diseases and those have affected the enjoyment of the event for all participants, partly due to people being sick and simply having less energy to contribute, partly due to having to change plans for accommodating seriously sick people and partly because of the staff being sick and having less capacity in dealing with organizational concerns.
In order to address this, we are requiring everyone to follow this policy for disease prevention at Norwegian Dragonkin Gathering. When signing up, you are also acknowledging that you will take every possible precautions to reduce the possibility of spreading contagious diseases to other participants, both before the event and during it.
1. Self-isolation ahead of the event
For at least one week before your travel to Norwegian Dragonkin Gathering, you must self-isolate as much as you are allowed to, in order to reduce the chances of bringing a contagious disease to the event. You can work and commute as normal if you have no ability to work remotely. While outside your home, you must wear an N95/FFP2(*) mask at all times, except when eating. You must also wear an N95/FFP2 mask around people from outside your household and encourage people from your household to follow similar precautions. Eschew any non-essential social gathering, and generally keep your distances from other people. Do also pay attention to the possibility of contagion by sharing foods or a restroom and wash your hands before all meals. If you are aware of any other potential sources of contagious disease, be proactive about them.
2. Disease or signs of disease ahead of the event
If you have any symptoms ahead of the event, contact the event staff immediately to clarify risks of your participation. If possible, try to determine which disease you have contracted. If it is determined that you have to cancel, you will have a guaranteed spot for any future event you may want to participate in and the option to get your participant fee refunded or kept by the organizers to cover a future participation.
3. Wear mask during travel to the event
From the moment you start your travel to Norwegian Dragonkin Gathering, wear a N95/FFP2 mask as long as you are in proximity to other people. You are strongly encouraged to wear a mask on buses, trains, at airports, and during the entire flight to Norway.
4. Be careful during the event
If you feel any symptoms of airborne disease during the event, notify the organizers immediately, take on a mask right away and wear it until you are symptom free. The only times where you are permitted not to wear a mask when sick with an airborne disease at the event is when eating and when being outdoors on your own. We also reserve the right to ask people to move to a different bed to keep sick people more isolated and allow them to safely sleep without a mask.
If you feel any symptom of gastrointestinal illnesses at the event, notify the organizers immediately. We can decide to reserve a specific restroom for sick people in order to avoid contagion.
Always sanitize your hands before eating food at the event. We will provide soap and hand disinfectant for everyone to use. To the best of your ability, avoid serving snacks in shared containers unless people are able to use utensils to grab the snacks. For other snacks, we will aim to provide people with small, personal bowls that snacks can be poured into. The goal is to avoid having too many hands in the same container.
Where possible, avoid large crowds of people exterior to the event. We understand that complete isolation of the Norwegian Dragonkin Gathering group is challenging, particularly at popular tourist destinations, and the organizers will take necessary precautions to minimize risk. If necessary, we may require everyone to wear a mask until there is no risk.
Let's ensure together that all of us will have as great a time as possible during Norwegian Dragonkin Gathering!
(*) Prefer N95 over FFP2 if possible