Spotlight on Business Magazine is carefully following the very unfortunate global outbreak of COVID-19. Spotlight on Business as well as the many events that we spotlight take the health and safety of attendees, exhibitors and volunteers and event teams very seriously.
At this time because of numerous cancellations and event postponement, these events and productions companies are currently working to arrange back-up dates, so we will not have our usual spotlight on Trade Shows, Conferences and Events for April 2020.
We will continue to monitor the situation along with our events partners as we are all committed to following the recommendations of our health officials.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States has issued the following advisory:
Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.
Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.
Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.
This recommendation does not apply to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses. This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus. This recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.
For more information please refer to the follow website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Similar measures have been development and are also being advised by The Public Health Agency of Canada, in collaboration with Canadian public health experts as guidance for federal, provincial and territorial public health authorities on the use of public health measures to reduce and delay transmission of COVID-19 in the community.
For more information please refer to the follow website https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html
At this time, we are still planning to go ahead with the Upcoming Trade Shows, Conferences and Events – May 2020 editorial piece for the April Issue so please continue to send us your information on new and postponed events so that we can spotlight them in upcoming issues.
In the meantime, please follow the recommendations of health officials on the above listed websites. If we all do our part, we can contain the spread of this virus.
Also, we wanted to bring it to the attention of our readers that COVID-19 is a respiratory virus, so you do not need to stockpile toilet paper. Be considerate of others and buy only what you need.
And finally, we encourage you to keep supporting local businesses and your community cafes, pubs, and restaurants during this time. Please consider buying gift cards from locally owned businesses which you can enjoy when social distancing is no longer a priority.
Please wash your hands, take care of yourselves, each other and be well!
