To promote the health and well-being of all Scientific Sessions participants in New Orleans, the ADA will require all attendees, exhibitors, staff, and vendors to be fully vaccinated* against COVID-19 prior to entering the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, in accordance with applicable law. Attendees, exhibitors, staff, and vendors also will be required to wear facemasks indoors except when speaking or presenting, when eating or drinking in designated areas, and/or as otherwise required by applicable law and guidance.
“We have been and continue to be extremely vigilant about COVID-19 and are taking every step and precaution to ensure a safe and healthy Scientific Sessions experience for everyone who attends,” said Marlon Pragnell, PhD, ADA Vice President of Research and Science.
All onsite Scientific Sessions participants will be asked to provide proof of vaccination via VaxYes, a third-party digital vaccine verification site. VaxYes will collect vaccination status and notify the ADA if onsite attendees have or have not provided proof of vaccination. The ADA will not have access to meeting attendees’ health information.
On the VaxYes site, each registrant must agree to the ADA’s COVID-19 guidelines, complete the vaccine verification process, and upload vaccination document (except where prohibited by law). Once the process is completed, registrants will receive verification that they are cleared for in-person attendance.
“Along with the vaccine requirement for anyone who enters the convention center, strict cleaning and social distancing protocols are in place throughout the convention center,” Dr. Pragnell said. “We are seeing CDC guidelines evolve as the U.S. continues to emerge from the pandemic. We are closely monitoring these and will update our protocols accordingly.”
*For purposes of its protocols, the ADA is utilizing the Centers for Disease and Prevention Control’s definition of “fully vaccinated” on the CDC website.
[sub-post-content]