COVID Safety Protocols

Thank you again for your support and patience in these unique times.

The ACBS Board has discussed at length the minimum safety measures that we will have in place for everyone attending in-person in San Francisco, California, June 14-19, 2022.

Our priority has always been the safety of our participants. We also understand that the measures taken (and not taken) will be a factor in everyone’s individual decisions regarding their own safety. As the conference is quickly approaching, we want to make sure people have adequate time to make an informed decision and take advantage of our early registration rates. For this reason, we are confirming the following as our minimum safety measures that all attendees can expect at our event.

We must of course comply with any current local, state, and federal laws. Masking inside the hotel is not currently required by law, but is strongly recommended by the state and city. If those laws change after today to include an increase in safety requirements, we will alter our activities and requirements accordingly. However, for the peace of mind for our attendees, and to give you a clear idea of what to expect, we WILL NOT lessen or eliminate any of the following ACBS attendee requirements.

Of course, ACBS respects the decision of individuals not able or comfortable coming together in a physical space, and we hope that you will consider joining us virtually.

Mask Requirement

All in-person conference attendees and guests over the age of 2 will be required to wear a mask covering the nose and mouth in all conference meeting spaces and adjacent hallways and foyers throughout the entirety of the conference (June 14-June 19, 2022).

PRESENTERS

The exception to the mask rule, for those fully vaccinated, is if you are presenting in a room at least 1000 sq. ft. in size. (This includes all rooms on the Lobby, Ballroom, and Grand Ballroom floors that are being used for presentations.) At your discretion, if you have the permission of all other presenters during that session, you may remove your mask to present. Attendees, please be aware of this, and choose a seat in the room according to your comfort level. Presenters may not move through the audience of a session while unmasked. They may only be unmasked at the front of the room.

Additional details and exceptions are noted in the "Meals" and "Beverage Consumption" sections below.

ACBS Vaccination Verification Requirement

All attendees to the in-person conference must be “fully vaccinated.” Exemptions to the vaccination requirement can be found in the “Exemptions from the vaccination requirement” section below. The definition of “fully vaccinated” can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html. Please note that while booster shots are strongly encouraged, booster shots are NOT required by ACBS for in-person conference attendance.

Here is a list of vaccines that qualify: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/proof-of-vaccination.html#covid-vaccines

In-person conference attendees will be asked to submit proof of vaccination via a webform prior to arriving in San Francisco. Anyone unable or unwilling to provide their information in advance may instead do so onsite at the conference venue, though please note that this will likely result in longer lines during the registration process. Acceptable proof of vaccination includes one of the following:

CDC Vaccination Card (physical or digital copy)
State-issued proof of vaccination card
Official immunization record from outside of the United States

Conference name badges will only be issued to those who have successfully completed the Full Vaccination verification process. Any unbadged attendees or guests will not be permitted in any meeting room.

Covid-19 Testing

Proof of a negative Covid-19 test is NOT required for entry to the in-person conference. However, testing can be an effective supplementary tool in identifying and guarding against the transmission of Covid-19, and thus is strongly encouraged whenever possible.

Meals

The provided lunches this year will all be boxed lunches (provided in nearly 100% compostable/recyclable packaging). Attendees are permitted to remove their masks while actively eating. To further aid in safety, eating will not be permitted in rooms used for educational sessions. Alternate hotel meeting rooms will be provided where eating with a mask off is permitted.

Beverage Consumption
Beverages may be consumed during the conference and educational sessions. Masks may only be moved aside for this purpose while actively drinking (i.e. taking a sip), and may not be removed for the entire duration of beverage consumption for the safety of others.

Meeting Room Spacing
The large capacity of the Ballroom (plenary room) means that we will offer spaced out seating. This may not be a full 6 feet (depending on the number of attendees), but will mean that social distancing will be possible. Some tables will also be set with more limited seating. Not all meeting rooms will have this ability/capacity, but we will space chairs apart where possible.

Guest Access
Traditionally, ACBS makes it possible for attendees to bring guests (partners, children, etc.) to some evening activities during the conference. However, this year to ensure the safety of all attendees, all guests (over the age of 4) attending any conference event or entering into any conference meeting room will need to go through the same vaccination verification and badging process as conference attendees. There will be a $10 guest fee for all guests ages 5 and over to help offset the cost of this vaccination verification and badging. Please check here for fees and instructions ($10 each).

Children under the age of 5 will be permitted without any additional badging/verification requirements.

Registration Refunds
If you find yourself feeling ill with a potentially communicable disease, test positive for Covid, or find that you’ve had close contact with someone who is sick with Covid just before traveling to San Francisco or while you are at the conference this year, we will allow last minute conference refunds for the difference between in-person and virtual access. You’ll still be able to participate virtually and not miss out, AND keep the community safe. If you do not attend the conference in-person and do not notify ACBS prior to June 16, no part of your registration is refundable.

Safety Materials
Hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes, and replacement masks will be available in the conference meeting space.

Illness Reporting
Any attendee that tests positive for COVID-19 during, or in the 3 days following departure from the in-person event are required to notify ACBS staff so that we may be aware. In addition, if you begin experiencing symptoms and/or test positive for COVID-19 during the conference, we require that you refrain from attending subsequent in-person events and instead participate virtually.

Covid Safety Measure Compliance

Anyone at the event not able to stay in compliance with the masking policy, vaccination, or other required safety protocols will be asked to leave, but may continue to participate in the virtual event.

Social Distancing “Distance Dots”
ACBS will make available colored stickers for attendees to affix to their name badge. These optional-use stickers are meant to indicate the wearer’s level of comfort with closeness/proximity to others during the course of the meeting.

Green: Open to up close (i.e. less than 6 feet) masked conversations
Yellow: Open to masked conversations that respect a six-foot separation
Red: Please don’t approach

Exemptions from the vaccination requirement:
The ACBS Board has decided to follow CDC guidelines for approved exceptions to the vaccination requirement. Only those individuals who can provide documentation that they fall into either the "red" OR "yellow" sections listed here will be considered exempt from the vaccination requirement.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/interim-considerations-us.html#appendix-e

To qualify for the exemption you must:

Provide a letter to ACBS from a licensed Medical Doctor (MD) (other medical professionals would not be appropriate) verifying that the individual has had an allergic reaction to a Covid shot or has a known allergy to a component in the Covid Vaccines available to them.
Also provide verification of a Covid test, taken within 48 hours prior to your first attendance to an ACBS World Conference event in San Francisco. (Example, if your first day of attendance will be June 16, 2022, and you fly to San Francisco on June 15, you may get your test done as early as June 14. If you fly to San Francisco on June 14, you may get your test on June 14 or June 15.) “At home” test results are not a permissible alternative.
1. Negative test results must be printed and come from a laboratory or test provider:
  1. For PCR tests, within 2 days of attendance
  2. For rapid antigen tests, within 1 day of attendance
2. And acceptable proof of a negative test include the following:
  1. A printed document from a test provider or laboratory
  2. An electronic test result displayed on a phone or other device from the test provider or laboratory – the information should include the person’s name, type of test performed, and negative test result

This may be any one of the tests listed here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

admin January 28, 2022 - 1:03pm