Plans for the 2020 NABShow in Las Vegas this April go ahead, but with a focus on the health of those attending, especially in light of last Friday’s news of multiple confirmed cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in Nevada.
 
At this stage the NAB is reporting that the number of attendees and exhibitors is on a par with last year.

Organisers are in touch with local public health officials, the convention centre, and other partners on the ground to assess the situation and determine their increased protocols for the health and safety of Show guests, and the NAB will update their website and communicate will all their guests as they receive additional details.
 
In a statement released yesterday the NAB says,

We are moving forward responsibly with NAB Show. We continue to take our direction from global, federal, and local health officials, like the WHO and CDC, which do not have travel notices or restrictions on public gatherings for the continental US.
 
We understand there are exhibitors and participants that may decide not to attend this year’s show and respect everyone’s desire to do what they believe is best. We are hearing that the overwhelming majority of our exhibitors are looking forward to attending the show and our attendee registrations continue on pace with the normal patterns we see year-over-year.
 
We share in the disappointment of show community members who are affected by travel restrictions due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) and cannot join us in person this year. We are in contact with the exhibitors and attendees who are impacted by travel restrictions and working with them on options so they can, where possible, experience some of the benefits of the show and add value to in-person attendees remotely.
 
Our Work with Partners in Las Vegas
 
We continue to work with all our on-the-ground show partners including the Las Vegas Convention Center, the airport authority, area hotels and resorts, and show vendors to ensure that the safety of all show participants is the highest priority at the event.
 
The Las Vegas Convention Center has taken several steps to ensure increased safety for visitors at NAB Show and upcoming events, including:

• Increasing cleaning protocols to include more frequent wiping and disinfecting of touch points in its facility during occupied show hours, such as door handles, elevator buttons, handrails, restroom stall doors and sinks.
• Adding hand sanitizer stations in strategically placed areas throughout the facility.
• Increasing the outside air intake/air change rates during occupied show hours.
• Reinforcing its standard employee health practices, including sending employees home and or encouraging employees to stay home if they are sick or demonstrated health symptoms that could impact colleagues or guests.
• Reinforcing its standard food safety awareness programs including frequent hand washing and making alcohol-based hand gel-rub available at every food station and every table at food outlets.
• Participating in ongoing webinars and conference calls with the International Association of Venue Managers to stay abreast of new practices, protocols and guidance.

State and local authorities in Southern Nevada are also monitoring the situation closely, and are well prepared to support any public health needs in the area:

• The Southern Nevada Health District conducts regular emergency exercises with both its public and private response partners, and there are plans in place for responding to an outbreak of disease and guidance for pandemic response.
• The Health District successfully implemented these plans during the H1N1 pandemic response in 2009.
• The Health District is continuing to work with its state and federal partners on a multi-layered response with the goal of detecting and minimizing introductions of this virus in the U.S. to reduce the spread and impact to our community.
• The Health District continues to monitor travelers who underwent medical screenings and were allowed to travel to their final destinations.  These individuals were not experiencing any symptoms and were asked to stay home and monitor their health within a 14-day period.  
• The CDC is preparing community guidance documents representing proactive public health activities that businesses, first responders, health care providers and others can utilize to better prepare to mitigate the impact of the virus if transmission begins to occur in the U.S.  The document will soon be available on the CDC website.

 
We are working closely with our hotel partners to protect the health and safety of NAB Show attendees throughout their stay in Las Vegas. Our hotel partners have taken great care to monitor the latest preventative health recommendations on the COVID-19 coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and state and local health departments, and are incorporating that guidance into their preparations.
 
These include:

• Enlisting additional restroom attendants to wipe down counters and stalls with disinfectant and having additional staff on hand to disinfect high touchpoints more regularly including escalator rails, elevator buttons and handrails.
• Adhering to the recommendations set forth in the U.S. EPA Emerging Pathogen Policy regarding cleaning and disinfectants.
• Making additional hand sanitizing stations readily available throughout hotel locations.
• Engaging in proactive procurement of necessary cleaning, disinfectant, and health-related supplies and materials.
• Requiring all hotel staff to observe the recommended CDC guidelines for limiting transmission of cold and flu-related illnesses, including:
  • Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 30 seconds.
  • Refraining from shaking hands.
  • Avoiding touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Covering the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and properly discard tissues after use.
  • Cleaning and disinfecting phones, keyboards, and computer mice regularly.
  • Avoiding close contact with people who are visibly sick.
  • Staying home from work if the staff member has a fever or is exhibiting cold or flu symptoms and contacting their doctor.
  •  

The city of Las Vegas is continuing to host successful trade events and other public gatherings daily, maintaining rigorous cleanliness and safety standards throughout public spaces, resorts, and meeting facilities. We are also in communication with the Southern Nevada Health District, which understands that the health and safety of our guests is our top priority.
 
Personal Precautions You Can Take To Protect Yourself
We are implementing a “no handshake” policy at this year’s NAB Show to help reduce the unnecessary spread of germs. In addition, remember to observe common sense precautions from the CDC to help keep yourself and others healthy and prevent the spread of flu, common colds, and other respiratory infections:

• Wash hands often with soap and water.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover your mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Notify medical staff right away if you feel sick, especially if you experience symptoms like:
  • Persistent cough or sneezing
  • Fever
  • Difficulty breathing

 
REMINDER: The CDC is NOT recommending facemasks for the general public. Masks are only recommended for caregivers of patients with communicable illness and patients with a fever or cough.
 
Dedicated Support to Address Coronavirus-Related Concerns
Our event management team has dedicated resources to ensure rapid responses to inquiries and concerns related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Attendees and exhibitors are encouraged to email our Response Team at [email protected].

radioinfo’s Wayne Stamm will cover the event once again this year

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