Overview
Given the current circumstances with COVID-19, the 2022 Conference is monitoring the everchanging health environment and will continue to monitor guidelines instituted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the New York State Department of Health.
For the protection of all attending the 2022 Conference, the Conference Planning Committee with the support of the NACC Board of Directors has established the below requirements:
- All conference attendees, speakers, presenters, and 2022 conference staff will be required to wear face coverings (masks) during the conference. Masks may be removed during meals and for speakers/presenters when they are presenting. Masks will be provided by the 2022 Conference if anyone is unable to provide their own.
- All conference attendees, speakers, presenters, and 2022 conference staff will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (2-shot Pfizer/Moderna or 1-shot Johnson & Johnson) and provide proof of vaccination. Instructions for providing proof of vaccination will be communicated as part of the conference registration information and is outlined below in the “prior to conference section” of this page.
- Social distancing will be encouraged where possible and sanitizing stations will be available throughout the conference hotel.
If circumstances warrant the in-person offering of the conference to be cancelled, the NACC will pivot to provide a virtual option for the conference.
Prior to Conference
In an effort to facilitate a safe Conference experience, all Conference attendees, presenters, and staff, will be required to submit proof of vaccination against COVID-19 via this form by July 8, 2022.
Vaccines have been deemed exceptionally effective at protecting against severe illness and death from COVID-19, though no vaccine is perfect. Moreover, they greatly reduce the odds of infection if a vaccinated individual is exposed to the virus. For more on the efficacy of and common questions pertaining to vaccines, click here.
If you are unable or choose not to be vaccinated, we invite you to participate in elements of the Conference which we will offer virtually. Information about sessions we will be offering virtually will be available in July 2022.
We recognize that requiring vaccination may exclude some members of the NACC from attending the conference in-person. Even considering this, we have determined that the only way that we feel safe to proceed with an in-person Conference would be to minimize the health risks in these ways.
Accepted formats for proof of vaccination:
- photo or scan of your vaccination card
- your state’s/province’s/nation’s digital card system
- a screen shot of your electronic medical record indicating the administration of your vaccination(s)
If you have any symptoms suggesting illness within 72 hours prior to arriving at the Conference venue, we ask you not to come to the conference.
How to Provide Proof of Vaccination
We have created a web form to provide your vaccine record. Complete the form and upload an image or scan of your COVID-19 vaccine card so that we can verify your vaccine status ahead of Conference.
Requirements at Conference
Throughout the in-person Conference experience, guidance from the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as well as state, municipal, and venue regulations will be stringently followed. Please note that the guidelines outlined in this communication may continue to evolve as we continue to monitor public health directives. Masks will be required in all indoor gatherings. The only exceptions to this requirement will be for those actively presenting and during meals times when attendees are actively eating/drinking. We encourage all attendees to bring their own multi-layer masks. However, for those in need of a mask during the Conference, masks will be available at the Registration Table.
If you are unable or choose not to wear a mask, we invite you to participate in the Conference virtually.
In addition to these requirements, the Hyatt Regency Hotel will have cleaning and safety protocols in place including having additional staff on site to disinfect high touch points, surfaces, and restrooms. The Hyatt will abide by their corporate health and safety guidelines, outlined on their website here.
In the Event of Illness
In the event you begin to experience symptoms of illness during the Conference or within 7 days after the Conference, please immediately notify the NACC staff and isolate yourself from others. Your identity will be protected, and steps will be taken to notify the Conference attendees of any number of positive exposures. The NACC will work to notify those who attended the same workshops so that they can also self-isolate and obtain testing.
Following a confirmed exposure, the CDC recommends “you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative. You should isolate for 10 days if your test result is positive.”
