Vaccine Entrepreneur Has Indoor Meeting, Dozens Get Sick

CULVER CITY, CA — Coronavirus vaccine entrepreneur Peter Diamandis admitted he screwed up last month after hosting an indoor, in-person event in Culver City that left dozens sick with the virus, The Washington Post reported.

At least 24 people tested positive for the coronavirus, including Diamandis, about three weeks after the annual event, Abundance 360, at the XPRIZE offices in Culver City. The meeting was a mix of virtual and in-person, with some traveling internationally to join the event. Testing was provided before and during the meeting, and doctors were available. But people still got sick.

Diamandis admitted to the mistake in an interview with the MIT Technology Review, the Post reported. Diamandis is co-founder of vaccine developer Covaxx.

He shared his thoughts on his blog, describing what happened and the testing measures in place.

"I thought creating a COVID “Immunity Bubble” for a small group in a TV studio setting was possible. I was wrong."

"I’m humbled and pained by what I learned," he said.

Public health experts advise people to avoid in-person, group gatherings — especially indoors — and ask the public to continue social distancing as vaccination efforts ramp up. Wearing face masks, social distancing, washing hands and getting the vaccine when it becomes available are all part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.

"What’s more, new and virulent strains are emerging, and there are only three options, … masks, vaccines and physical distance," he wrote. "I hope others can learn from my mistakes."

"As even as we get vaccinated, or after we gain natural immunity from an active infection, the data is still unclear about how long that immunity will last against new variants," he said.