INTRODUCTION
Instructions and measures applied in order to carry out the Event in accordance with the current rules included in anti-COVID protocols.
The spread of COVID-19 and the need to carry out measures in order to contain its effects, has resulted in a significant re-organization of ESOF by implementing rules in order to avoid gatherings which could be the cause of high risk of infection.
First of all, the Organization has decided to opt for the best available technology for virtual conferences which allows speakers and audience to interact from their locations. Furthermore, ESOF will turn to a “hybrid” system thanks to which some speakers will be on site and others will be home. The audience will be both on site and at home and the interaction between on site and virtual will be guaranteed.
This choice will result in a decrease of on-site participants in Porto Vecchio venue: according to a survey 70/80 sessions should be virtual out of the 160 proposed ones. The virtual sessions will be available fully digital and 40/50 should be hybrid which means that the audience will be mainly from home and a reduced number of participants will be on site.
This organizational measure allows to consider up to maximum 1000 people on site during the congress dates (instead of 4500 participants as previously foreseen).
Furthermore, there has been an additional re-organization of the spaces dedicated to the exhibition “Expo of Science” in the Festival Science in the City which will be located in HALLS 27 and 28. The re-organization of the events results in the exclusive use of halls TCC. This means that there will not be neither exhibition nor anything else in the open spaces around these buildings which will thus be used as pedestrian areas. External areas will not be used for the exhibition since F&B services will be located in a dedicated area in HALL 27 which will be properly equipped.
The Auditorium for plenary sessions in HALL 28 which could accommodate a maximum of 1850 participants will be instead equipped in order to accommodate maximum 400 participants respecting the distancing of the seats as current rules will state.
Furthermore, the capacity of the other meeting rooms in TCC HALLS 27 and 28 for “hybrid” sessions (on site participants and simultaneous virtual sessions) will be reduced according to current rules.
The attachment shows the access points where “COVID Stations” will be located. There, body temperature will be measured, personnel in charge will check if participants wear their mask (if not, it will be provided), sanitize their hands and there will be access controls.
On site Participants will be divided in two categories:
- Delegates taking part in sessions of ESOF 2020 scientific program in different meeting rooms. Registration will be online, and they will receive a specific badge;
- Visitors of the exhibitions of Festival Science in the City will reserve their entrance online and they will have the possibility to visit the exhibition area once the staff allows to enter according to the limited and allowed number of people.
In the meeting rooms as well as in the exhibition areas there will be a one-way path. The attached map shows the path for the two pavilions (HALLS 27 and 28). The two halls are linked by an upper path, so a maximum of 800 people is allowed. Staff will be in charge of controlling accesses (by counting them) and prevent people from gathering.
In the meeting rooms, ventilation is foreseen at the end of each session; instead for sanitation of meeting rooms and common areas, rules will be applied according to Health Authorities with products and frequency to be communicated to those in charge of cleaning.
Despite the foreseen reduction of the overall congress area as well as the number of participants, the personnel in charge of security will be increased in order to monitor the flows and measures to be carried out.
MEASURES TO PREVENT COVID SPECIFIC FOR PARTICIPANTS
- Visitors are invited to pre-register on the online portal (available here) because each participant will access only by showing the registration confirmation. All accesses will be tracked in order to keep the full list for at least 14 days.
- On-site registration is strongly discouraged in order to avoid queues or gatherings at the Organizing secretariat desks and also to allow the Organization to manage at best the accesses according to the number of participants who already registered.
- On site distribution of materials is reduced as much as possible.
- The event program and any other useful information for participants will be available on the APP that can be downloaded for free on iOS and Android.
- Each access will be also an anti-COVID check point where body temperature will be measured, and staff will check if participants wear their compulsory PPE. Each participant will thus wear their mask.
The Organizing Secretariat will place in each area of the congress venue one or more automatic hand sanitizer dispensers and participants will be strongly encouraged to use them.
- Visitors are invited to follow the compulsory path linking the two pavilions of the congress area following the signage which will be properly located in the pavilions.
- In the congress area there will be also a café and two exhibition areas where social distancing should be always maintained according to anti-COVID protocol.
Ref. Guidelines for the reopening of the Economical, Manufacturing and Recreational Activities 20/83/CR01/COV19 of the Italian State-Region Conference.
