At least 41 people who attended a swingers convention in New Orleans have tested positive for COVID-19 after 'giving up' on social distancing and mask-wearing within three days of arriving.
The convention was held in New Orleans over five days at the start of November. Titled Naughty in N'Awlins, it attracted 300 people despite the ongoing pandemic for a week of sex.
There were no 'playrooms' and the organizers said they would have staff on-hand to break up groups of nine or more, if they ever saw them.
Organizer Bob Hannaford insisted at the time that the company had safety protocols in place like mask-wearing, pre-testing and contact tracing.
But in a blog post on Friday, he expressed his regret at hosting the event after learning that at least 41 people had tested positive for the virus.
He also revealed that when he interviewed people who got in touch to say they'd been diagnosed, they admitted being vigilant on the first two days of the event but dropping their guard towards the end.
A promotional photo for the event this year. Of the 300 who attended, at least 41 have tested positive for COVID-19
A woman from this year's event wearing nothing but body paint
A photo from last year's Naughty In N'awlins event, which attracted up to 2,000 swingers. The frisky attendees are seen strolling down Bourbon Street brandishing signs
'When we contacted the people that were positive, we asked them several questions to find more potential positive cases and try to find out where the biggest risks took place. In almost every case, they admitted to us that they were super diligent on the first two days (Wed & Thurs) and then they relaxed a little on Friday and then they said “F**k it, it’s our last day” and many admitted that their lax effort on that final day is probably why they ended up positive,' Hannaford wrote.
He said that he had 'no idea' how many people had actually contracted the virus because he only knew of the ones who have come forward.
Organizer Bob Hannaford said he would not throw the event again in the current climate
'You see, we have no idea how many people got tested after our event, nor if anyone tested positive and didn’t tell us.
'There could also be people that are positive, but without symptoms, so they never got tested,' Hannaford wrote.
Hannaford said he had agonized over putting the event together but that he thought he could do it safely.
'If I could go back in time, I would not produce this event again. Even though most of the 41 positive cases have mostly been asymptomatic or very mild cases.
'The reason I wouldn’t is that I know of two people who had a tougher time and they were suffering. One of them, a good friend of mine, was hospitalized in serious condition.
'If I thought for one minute that he or anyone would end up in the hospital, I would certainly not have had our event.
Pictures from previous years. This year, the event did not arrange 'play rooms' but it said people were free to make their own choices about wearing masks during sex
'It is the first hospitalization I have heard about, but I know it isn’t really the first, it’s just that no one is talking about this,' he wrote.
Before the event, Hannaford posted a list of rules for attendees which included wearing their masks in public and anywhere aside from eating and drinking.
When it came to 'playing', people could make their own choices.
There is no mask mandate in Louisiana.
'Only you can decide what your limits should be, but we encourage you to talk to your partner, prior to attending, so you can decide on what you are comfortable with and what you aren’t.
'Talk about your fantasies, your intentions, and your boundaries,' Hannaford said before the event, likening masks to condoms.
A photograph from inside one of the event rooms at this year's convention
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