COVID PROTOCOL
Please be sure to check back for any changes or updates as policies are subject to change.
In-person attendance at Winter Institute (Wi2023) is limited to individuals who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, including children.
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This means that, unfortunately, unvaccinated children will not be permitted to accompany attendees at any Wi2023 events.
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At this time, boosters are not required.
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Although ABA is requiring vaccinations for attendees, others at the Sheraton and the Seattle Convention Center may not be vaccinated and we cannot require that their employees be vaccinated. Currently, masks at this event are optional.
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All attendees will be able to choose from different colored lanyards to attach to your badge, which will indicate your comfort level with others approaching you.
GREEN = handshakes/fist bumps welcome
YELLOW = elbow bumps and a little space appreciated
RED = no handshakes and lots of space please
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We have partnered with HealthShield in order to verify vaccination status for all attendees. Due to our COVID vaccination requirements and the need for a unique, secure, and GDPR compliant way to communicate with attendees, cell phone numbers are required for this event and will be collected at registration. Note that HealthShield is not an app, so there is nothing to download. HealthShield is GDPR-compliant and US Department of Commerce “Privacy Shield” compliant. Their security measures meet or exceed all current industry standards.
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If the name that was provided for your event badge does not match the name on your vaccination card, please contact ABA’s DEIA Member Relations Manager Elisa Thomas at [email protected] [1] for assistance with your vaccination clearance.
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Approximately three weeks before the event, each attendee will receive a text message with a link to upload their document.
We request that if you’re not feeling well at any point during your stay, or if you are experiencing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 [2], to please get tested, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection. For convenience and to prevent possible exposure to others, we recommend you bring your own COVID tests [3] to the event.
This policy is subject to change should the CDC recommendations and/or guidelines change prior to the event. ABA's vaccination requirement is part of our commitment to making our events as safe as possible in this new COVID-19 era. We offer a virtual event following each in-person event to make programming accessible to those who can not attend.