By: Mariana Peñaloza - Project event manager - Conferences of BTC
Mariana has more than 10 years of experience in the MICE industry, Mariana has been specialized development of Congresses.
COVID-19, has invited us to reinvent ourselves to adopt hybrid or virtual events, at the same time is having a drastic impact on our industry worldwide.
In Mexico more than 300 events have been suspended as a preventive measure, data that informs us the Mexican Council of the Industry of Meetings (COMIR). And that many have been passed over for the second half of the year.
But, can you imagine, how the events will be for the second half of the year?
Therefore, I invite you to ask yourself, in my personal life I follow the sanitary measures? I wash my hands as many times as possible? also I clean the items that I bought from the grocery store?
They are habits that surely, we will end up adopting in our day to day when this returns to normality.
I hope that with all this revolution that has come into our lives and our new personal habits, you are also preparing yourself with the sanitary measures that you will adopt in your face-to-face events because you will have to follow stricter hygiene standards.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) set some important guidelines regarding social distancing; maintaining space between you and others, is one of the best tools we have to avoid being exposed to this virus and delay its spread locally, across the country and around the world. COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet) for an extended period of time.
But how will we restart?
According of the World Health Organization and some experts in hotels, convention centers, and airlines, have launched some measures that can helps us in the future.
There is some of the suggestions:
BEFORE of the meeting or event
• Check the advice from the authorities in the community where you plan to hold the meeting or event. Follow their advice.
• Develop and agree a preparedness plan to prevent infection at your meeting or event
• Develop and agree a response plan in case someone at the meeting becomes ill with symptoms of COVID-19 (dry cough, fever, malaise).
DURING the meeting or event
• Provide information or a briefing, preferably both orally and in writing, on COVID-19 and the measures that organizers are taking to make this event safe for participants.
• Display dispensers of alcohol-based hand rub prominently around the venue.
• If there is space, arrange seats so that participants are at least one meter apart.
• Open windows and doors whenever possible to make sure the venue is well ventilated.
• If anyone who starts to feel unwell, follow your preparedness plan or call your hotline
• Thank all participants for their cooperation with the provisions in place.
AFTER the meeting or event
1. Retain the names and contact details of all participants for at least one month. This will help public health authorities trace people who may have been exposed to COVID-19 if one or more participants become ill shortly after the event.
2. If someone at the meeting or event was isolated as a suspected COVID-19 case, the organizer should let all participants know this. They should be advised to monitor themselves for symptoms for 14 days and take their temperature twice a day.
3. If they develop even a mild cough or low-grade fever (i.e. a temperature of 37.3 C or more) they should stay at home and self-isolate. This means avoiding close contact (1 meter or nearer) with other people, including family members. They should also telephone their healthcare provider or the local public health department, giving them details of their recent travel and symptoms.
4. Thank all the participants for their cooperation with the provisions in place.
In conclusion there is still a lot of uncertainty regarding of this virus and the actions that we must take. We have to prepare ourselves as professionals and be aware of the steps to follow and how will develop the future of the events.
Don’t forget to stay informed:
Find the latest information from WHO on where COVID-19 is spreading
Advice and guidance from WHO on COVID-19
Mariana Peñaloza
Project event manager - Conferences of BTC