Was CES 2022 the Covid superspreader event that some feared?

Before the CES 2022 tech conference opened in Las Vegas, there was much hand-wringing and worrying in some corners that it would be a superspreader event for Covid-19, given the surge in infections from the omicron variant. Were those fears valid?
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that about 70 members of the South Korean delegation to CES 2022 had tested positive for Covid after attending the show. They included employees from Samsung and Hyundai.
CES provided PCR tests to international attendees before their flights home. The Consumer Technology Association, which produces CES, would not say what percentage of those tests came back positive for Covid.
“We are currently auditing data and will have more information in the coming weeks,” said Jeanne Abella, senior coordinator of event communications for the Consumer Technology Association.
CES 2022 was the first big industry conference in the U.S. this year. As such, it was viewed as a test case for the conference industry and whether such shows could be managed safely during the ongoing pandemic.
CES 2022, which officially ran Jan. 5-7, took a host of health and safety precautions to prevent the spread of Covid at the show. Those precautions included requiring attendees to provide proof of full vaccination and to wear masks while indoors at the show.
CES 2022 drew “well over 45,000 attendees in person, including 1,800 global media,” the CTA said on Jan. 7.
There’s not enough information yet to discern whether CES 2022 was a superspreader event.
Anecdotal reports on Twitter indicate that more than a few people came down with Covid after attending CES 2022.

Great job! My boyfriend now has Covid from your convention you senseless profiteering people

— 12345 (@shoommie852) January 10, 2022

Great job, CES, you put small companies in a terrible situation by not canceling! My daughter and her boss brought Covid back from your show with a 70% reduction in attendance, you have no shame. I've been in the tech business for 30+ years and I'm furious with you for your greed

— Speed Mequeen Bruce A Smith (@Bsmithmia) January 9, 2022

Have to cancel as well as I caught Covid at CES and now I am stuck in Vegas. 😅

— Sven Naef (@svennf_) January 11, 2022

UPDATE CES 2022: Several members of my team now have Covid after working at CES 2022 in unsafe conditions without social distancing and around attendees with out masks! @GaryShapiro you are responsible, you promised safe working conditions and you failed! @CTATech @CES @CES2022

— Farilla (@Farilla2) January 11, 2022

I made it 2 years but COVID got my ass

watch your back my friends #CES2022 pic.twitter.com/5IW6r4mtXZ

— Taylor (@TaylorWebbIRL) January 9, 2022

Also of note Omicron is running wild. The line to pickup the free covid tests kits in the customer service area was much longer than it had been on #CES2022 days 1 & 2. One of our team tested positive & pretty much expect this event to be a super spreader.

— RDM (@RDM702) January 7, 2022

#CES2022 attendees, pls get/use your free #COVID self test kit. I used one as soon as I got home and it came out positive. Getting a PCR test tmr to make sure. (I tested negative last Sunday before entering the CES venue, and test negative again on Thursday morning) pic.twitter.com/cb86bG4yyp

— Yifan Yu (@YifanYuNews) January 8, 2022

I’ve been feeling sick all weekend, and I’m not sure if it’s covid or exhaustion from working CES…and the earliest test I can find is a week from today :)

— zach (@__zach) January 9, 2022

Everyone I know that went to #CES in vegas who were vaxxed that got covid, either had no symptoms or very little.

— Dan Landis (@DanLandis14) January 12, 2022

Due to the nature of business I had to go to CES. I was using n95 masks, I obsessively washed my hands, I passed out purell hand sanitizer at CES. I am double vaxed and boosted. Honestly would have been shocked if I hadn't tested positive for COVID-19 today.

— Blaze 🔜 CES (@blazecollie) January 13, 2022

Several friends got Covid during CES — take care out there.

— Kenson (@rikognition) January 16, 2022

I'm not shocked. I took every friggin precaution possible at CES and my happy-ass STILL caught COVID; you might be able to control variables at the event itself, but you can't control the external stuff. Godspeed friends, here's to health and the eventual return of LTX! 🤙🏼🍻

— The Manic Geek Just Wants Peace (@TheManicGeek) January 20, 2022

Photo: Ameca, a humanoid robot from British firm Engineered Arts, converses with CES 2022 attendees. (CES)