Modev Update on COVID-19 Corona Virus
by Pete Erickson on March 2, 2020
Modev is continuing to monitor all news and guidance related to the Novel Coronavirus, officially named COVID-19. We're following all recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO)—and recommend everyone to do the same.
As of now, VOICE Summit 2020 Oct 5-8 and Spinnaker Summit 2020 Oct 25-28 are both proceeding as scheduled.
The safety and health of our attendees is our top priority, and to that end, we will institute numerous safety measures and guidelines in accordance with recommendations from the WHO and the CDC to ensure everyone’s health and well-being.
For one, we encourage the industry to join our 100% livestreamed VOICE Global on June 9th. This is a 24-hour online gathering for the global voice-tech industry. It's free to attend.
For VOICE 2020, we will be implementing a travel restriction policy from any high-risk area based on the recommendation of government health authorities. Currently, these areas include: China, South Korea, Iran, and the Lombardy region of Italy. We do expect things to change and will update this post regularly.
Also, we plan on requiring each attendee who will have traveled in one of these regions in the weeks leading up to the event to certify that:
- They must have departed any such area no later than Sept 20 for VOICE Summit, and Oct 10 for Spinnaker Summit.
- They have shown no flu-like symptoms at all (including fever above 38°C/100.4°F, cough, or shortness of breath) in that time, or currently.
We also ask that anyone planning to attend who believes they may have been exposed to the Coronavirus in other travels, or who is not feeling well, to refrain from joining us this year for the safety of other attendees.
Safety Measures
Pre-Event:
- We will keep up-to-date information on our event websites pertaining to the status of the event, and precautions for attendees onsite.
- We will send email communications to registered event participants with any pertinent updates leading up to the event.
Onsite:
- We will provide plentiful sanitation stations onsite at the event with alcohol-based hand sanitizer, wipes, tissue and face masks.
- We will provide signage onsite encouraging attendees to practice Respiratory Hygiene.
- Covering your mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue (not hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your hands, nose, and mouth to avoid transferring germs from surfaces
- Discard a used tissue immediately into a closed trash can.
- Wash your hands frequently with an alcohol-based sanitizer and/or soap and water.
- We will provide signage to encourage attendees to maintain Social Distancing.
- Adopt a no-handshake policy at the event.
- Try to stand a minimum of 3 feet (1 meter) from other people, especially those that may be sneezing, coughing and/or exhibiting cold/flu symptoms.
- We will regularly sanitize all surfaces through the event space and communicate with the venues to do the same.
- We will be sanitizing speaker microphones between each speaker’s use.
We ask attendees to:
- Adopt a no-handshake policy at the event.
- Wash hands frequently.
- Cough or sneeze into elbows only.
- Stay home if they are sick or experiencing any cold/flu-like symptoms for their own safety and the safety of others.
- Seek medical care right away and alert our staff at registration should they begin to experience cold or flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, trouble breathing) onsite. We will have local medical care contact information available for all attendees and can assist any attendee with transportation to a local clinic.
Note that the WHO is currently advising against the application of any restrictions on international traffic. Based on the information currently available on the outbreak, the CDC is recommending standard safety practices that should be instituted during any flu season, and the current CDC Travel Advisories are for China, Iran, Italy, Japan, and South Korea.
We will continue to regularly check the latest official information leading up to the event and encourage our event participants to do the same.
Recommended Resources:
World Health Organization (WHO) Novel Coronavirus Daily Situation Reports:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Situation Summary:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Real-Time Data Dashboard from Johns Hopkins University:
https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
US Dept of State Travel Advisories:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/
