SECO 20/20 - Frequently Asked Questions

CORONAVIRUS

 As attendees and exhibitors finalize plans to join us for SECO 2020, SECO International and its leadership would like to assure our attendees, exhibitors, speakers and partners that we are proceeding as planned to hold a safe, productive and successful event March 4 – 8, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. The health risk of coronavirus for the general American public is considered low at this time, according to the latest summary from the CDC. The safety of our Congress participants remains our highest priority, and we continue to monitor the COVID-19 developments closely.

We are committed to being a steward of our community and an accessible source of information as the current situation evolves. Following are recent updates:

• Every year, our event management team creates an emergency response plan, and this year, it’s expanded the reach of procedures to include the counsel of local health systems. Additionally, any foreign nationals that have visited China within 14 days of arriving in the U.S. are barred from entering the United States. Therefore, these attendees will not be able to participate in this year’s event.
• The association is not concerned about overall attendance at this time, as attendance has been tracking ahead year over year.
• We encourage all exhibitors and attendees to take common-sense precautions by using hand sanitizer and following guidelines set by the CDC when they are on-site at the Congress. Additional hand sanitizer stations will be in place in the Georgia World Congress Center.
• As a standard practice at a SECO Congress, medical care is readily accessible to address immediate health concerns.

The city of Atlanta is continuing to maintain rigorous cleanliness and safety standards throughout public spaces, hotels, and meeting facilities and hosts successful trade events daily.  For the most current information about COVID-19, see the following resources:

 https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel-advice

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html

 SECO’s event management team has dedicated resources to ensure rapid responses to inquiries related to COVID-19. Attendees and exhibitors with questions or concerns are encouraged to email our office at info@secostaff.com.

We understand your concerns about the Coronavirus and we share those concerns.

Thus, we are monitoring the situation closely and have provided the following Q&A to ease those concerns. We will update this information as the situation evolves. Currently, SECO 20/20 is not being postponed or canceled.

General questions:

Q: What is the status of air travel to and from China?

A: Several domestic and international air carriers have suspended flights to and from all of China or specific regions in China. View the most recent list here.

Q: How do I know air travel is safe?

A: The U.S. State Department has put out a travel advisory for China, Italy, Iran and South Korea, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has instituted travel restrictions for people coming from China. Thus, it is highly unlikely you would be traveling on a flight with infected passengers or personnel.

Q: What is the status of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in the U.S.?

For a current list of the CDC’s confirmed cases in the U.S., go here.

Attendee Questions:

Q: Is it safe for me to be in the SECO 20/20 and in large crowds?

A: Because there are only 2 confirmed cases in Georgia (both under quarantine), we believe it is safe for you to be among crowds in the at the Georgia World Congress and elsewhere. As with any infectious respiratory virus, precautions should be taken to prefect spread of disease, specifically:

• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Cover your cough and sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Q: How will I know if the situation changes and effects the status of SECO 20/20?

1. We will notify all registered attendees of any changes by email. We will also keep this page updated.

Exhibitor Questions

Q: Do I need to take additional precautions at my booth, such as using anti-bacterial hand sanitizer?

1. We recommend limiting handshaking. We are following the recommendations of WHO and the CDC. It’s always a good idea when greeting large crowds to keep anti-bacterial hand sanitizer on hand.

Q: How will I know if the situation changes and effects the status SECO 20/20?

1. We will notify all exhibitors of any changes by email. We will also keep this page updated.