Convention Fans:
How to Avoid the "Con Crud" in Six Easy Steps!

First of all, I apologize for the lack of updates this week. I received a nasty pollen debuff that seriously crippled my HP. (Nerd translation: major allergies due to spring bloomage had me sick and out of commission.) In honor of being sick and miserable for almost an entire week, I decided it was only right that I share some tips on avoiding "con crud" - that plague-like sickness that too often descends on con-goers upon their return home. It can't always be avoided, but there are definitely steps you can take to reduce your chances of getting it:

Step One: Wash Your Hands and Use Hand Sanitizer

I know this is a pretty big "duh" but with the rushing around and craziness of a con, it can be way too easy to forget to do something as simple as washing your hands before meals. If you can't manage that, just get a small travel size bottle of hand sanitizer. Use it before you eat, or when you have a dull moment waiting in a queue line. Some convention facilities are getting proactive and are adding little "sanitizing stations" with free hand sanitizer (like the Hynes Convention Center where PAX East 2010 was held). Take advantage of it. That's why it's there.

Step Two: Limit Physical Contact

There's a reason why many celebrity guests have stopped shaking hands and giving hugs to fans. They don't like catching con crud either. The guys at Penny Arcade created a brilliant comic illustrating their new fan greeting for their PAX cons (which Wil Wheaton has since adopted as well): the Iron Guard Salute! It's funny enough that it may just catch on outside of PAX conventions, and has the added bonus of limiting physical contact with a bunch of strangers who may or may not be carriers of plague. Wil, Gabe and Tycho have all said they escaped PAX East free of the crud, so it's worth trying!

Step Three: Purify the Hotel Room

If you are sharing a hotel room with a ton of people, get some disinfecting wipes (preferably ones that claim they can kill the flu virus). Use them to wipe down the common surfaces, like the door handles and toilet flusher. Your own comrades could be carrying the plague. If you can help it, don't share a bed with them if they show any signs of impending sickness. You're better off on the floor alone, where they aren't breathing on you all night.