Pro Global Media organises a number of specialised niche events each year, which are of great use to participants from around the world.
The health and safety of our exhibitors, visitors and staff is our number one priority.
Our approach to the Coronavirus situation is based on the published advice of globally-recognised health experts, and increasingly on industry best-practice.
In order to ensure that the events continue to benefit the maximum number of participants in a safe and hygienic setting, Pro Global Media has formulated the following policy with regards to the ongoing Coronavirus situation, using information from the WHO (2), CDC (US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) (3) and European arm of the WHO (4).
Prior to the meeting
Delegates are required not to attend the event:
- if they feel unwell with flu-like symptoms, a continuous cough, loss of taste or smell, or high fever;
- if they have any respiratory disease (such as a cough or cold);
- if they have been in close contact with anyone with flu-like symptoms or respiratory illness in the last fourteen days.
If you are unable to attend the event under the above circumstances, you should claim on your own travel insurance policy. A refund of conference fees is not available (please refer to the ‘Cancellation policy’ of each individual event). However, your conference fee will be rolled-over to the next edition of the event. Proof of your positive test status and date will be required.
We are sorry for any inconvenience.
If you and your company wish to participate without attending in person, Pro Global Media will still welcome you in the following ways (charges may apply):
- Propose a presentation by video-recording; (contact the conference convenor, Dr Robert McCaffrey, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Have your presentation included on the official event memory stick as a PDF; (contact the conference convenor, Dr Robert McCaffrey, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Availability of conference materials (proceedings book, presentations) by post-event download; (contact Mrs Amanda Crow, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Sponsorship and commercial opportunities (pens, writing pad, delegate badges, lanyards, delegate bags, giveaways, advertising in the conference proceedings volume etc); (contact Paul Brown, commercial director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Event branding (banners, flags, roll-ups etc); (contact Paul Brown, commercial director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Print and online advertising; (contact Paul Brown, commercial director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Appropriate editorial inclusion in Pro Global Media’s magazines, emails, newsletters and social media. (contact the editor, Dr Peter Edwards, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
At the meeting
Please adhere to the usual and well-known basic rules of hygiene:
- If you feel unwell with a fever, cough, headache, loss of taste or smell, then self-isolate;
- Maintain a distance of at least 1m from other delegates;
- Catch a cough or sneeze in a handkerchief, tissue or in the crook of your elbow;
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% - 95% alcohol immediately after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty;
- Do not touch your mouth, nose or eyes with your hands, etc;
- When inside and when not eating or drinking, you are encouraged to wear a mask, for your own health and the health of others (5);
- Additionally, we may use an alternative non-handshake greeting, such as a nod, wave, salute, bow, elbow bump, virtual fist-bump or namaste (6, 7).
Meetings will conform to the coronavirus regulations of the country that they are held in, and will also be adapted to the protocols of the individual event venue. These may include the following:
- Increased physical separation during meals;
- Wearing a mask or face covering;
- Elimination of buffet options (or obligation to wear a mask and/or gloves while serving);
- Restrictions on or non-availability of the use of some venue services (for example, gym, pool etc);
- One-way movement systems in hotel/venue;
- Temperature checks;
- Symptom questionnaires;
- Other coronavirus measure may be in place for delegate health and safety.
Covid Vaccination and Testing Obligations for Registration and Attendance at Pro Global Media's real-world events
During initial registration attendees must be able to show a recent vaccination certificate (showing a complete vaccine course of a WHO-confirmed vaccine(9) - EITHER both completed doses of AstraZeneca, BioNtech/Pfizer, Covishield, Moderna, Sinopharm, or Sinovac + 22 days, OR one Johnson & Johnson dose + 22 days), or proof of recovery from a previous infection, or certificate of antibody-positivity (or equivalent). Such proof will need to include the delegate's name, the type of vaccine, and the date(s) that the vaccine was administered, and the last such vaccination must be at least 14 days before the start of the conference. Registrations without acceptable proof will not be accepted, with no exemptions;
Attendees will be tested for coronavirus at the start of the event (for example prior to a welcome cocktail reception, such testing being valid for the following day) and at the start of each day of the event, using lateral flow test, with testing administered by third parties. Delegates will be obliged to wear a wrist-band following testing each day provided by the organisers to show their proof of status, and to give them access to the event.
The organisers consider these measures to be sufficient to ensure the health and safety of all attendees.
However, attendees will also be able to use an additional personal 'traffic light' system to show how they prefer to interact with other attendees - being signified by a sticker on the delegate badge as follows:
Green = no special social distancing required, maskless interaction and hand-shakes okay;
Amber = 1.5m-distancing required, masked interaction preferred, fist- or elbow-bump;
Red = 2m social distancing required, masked interaction required, only no-contact greetings (such as wave or bow).
The venue will be actively ventilated (please bring a sweater or jacket). Mask use inside the venue will be optional (see above), appropriate distancing will be recommended, and delegates will be reminded to wash or sanitise their hands frequently.
These measures are
• to reduce the impact of infection during the event (vaccination requirements);
• to reduce to a low level the possibility of contracting coronavirus at the event (testing regime);
• to allow delegates to take additional measures if they prefer or are required to do so ('traffic light' badging);
• in order to allow delegates to interact as freely as possible;
• and in order to give all delegates reassurance that the same requirements apply to everyone.
Please note that theses obligations have been formulated following extensive worldwide polling on possible measures, and are not optional.
If you test positive for coronavirus at the meeting:
- You will be obliged to adhere to all Covid regulations of the host country, possibly including going into isolation, at your own expense;
- You will not be able to attend the meeting or remainder of the meeting.
You are strongly advised to test yourself before setting out to attend the meeting (if travel rules do not already stipulate that you have to do this).
Please note that delegates are obliged to comply with the health and safety measures put in place to safeguard themselves and others: The organisers and venue management retain the right to deny entry to anyone who refuses to comply with these safety measuresand any others required by local or national statutes.
The organisers retain the right to update these measures as required.
Conclusion
Businesses need forums in which to meet contacts, network, get up-to-date with developments and to do business, on an on-going basis. Conferences and exhibitions are a very effective means of achieving a great deal in a short amount of time and with a high return on investment. By adopting the above policies, Pro Global Media will pragmatically balance the benefits of attendance.
We thank you for your understanding.
This policy will be updated on an ongoing basis, as required.
This policy was first announced on 26 February 2020, and was last updated on 22 October 2021 at 14.29 GMT.
References
1 https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/
2 https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
3 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html
4 http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19
5 https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks
6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ucmoVPrKto
7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2014.04.011
8 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/fully-vaccinated-people.html
9 https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines
