It is hard to ignore the impact of the coronavirus as it continues it global spread nor should you try to. The disease has been classified as an official pandemic now which means its progress cannot be stopped any longer. For now, all people can do is practice their best hygiene to stay safe, and that has led to numerous conventions either being canceled or postponed. And if you happen to be attending Anime Expo this summer, the event has an update for you.
Recently, the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation put out a short statement about its plans for Anime Expo, CEO Ray Chiang wanted to assure fans that the plans for Anime Expo haven’t changed and are being reassessed daily as the coronavirus continues to spread around the United States.
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“With regard to the COVID-19 coronavirus, the team at SPJA is paying close attention to the evolving situation. The safety and health of our attendees, partners, exhibitors, and staff are of the utmost importance to us,” Chiang wrote in a new statement.
“Anime Expo 2020 is still planned to take place as scheduled in Los Angeles in early July, and our team is working hard to deliver a fun and memorable experience for our attendees. With that being said, the health and safety of our community is our number one priority. During the coming weeks, we will continue to monitor the situation, review the guidance by global health authorities, and consider all factors as it relates to the Anime Expo community.”
As you can see, there are no plans to shut down Anime Expo, but anything is possible in light of this disease. Coronavirus has unlocked a new bevy of orders since it was classified as a full-blown pandemic, and that has forced many big-name events to shut down. From Coachella being postponed and SXSW getting canceled, nothing is too big to fail before the virus… but it seems Anime Expo is immune for now.
Do you think the convention will end up cancelling in light of the coronavirus? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
