As the event industry begins to dip its toe into the post-Covid 19 world, there is emerging emphasis on the need for health and safety of event attendees.  Of course, there is the now-recognizable need for masks, sanitizers and social distancing. 

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But event planners need to go beyond these minimum requirements for group meetings. Here are 6 steps that you can take to ensure the health and safety of your attendees.

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More Frequent and Longer Breaks

A simple and easily implemented step, frequent and longer breaks allow the organizers to arrange for continual sanitizing of general session rooms and break out rooms.  When putting together your meeting agenda, consider providing several break venues to allow for smaller numbers of people to gather (with social distancing in mind).  Consider a mix of indoor and outdoor options, and let attendees choose their preference via their registration form.

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More and Enhanced Signage

More is more when it comes to signage in the new post-Covid world. You don’t want attendees needlessly milling around trying to find their destination or unnecessarily approaching your staff to ask for directions. Take on the added expense of printing physical signage or renting additional monitors so that you can more easily move people where they need to go and keep your attendees and staff safe. One interesting enhancement that we are seeing is a stoplight-based signage system to help direct attendees. The company Safety Pois is offering a system of green, yellow and red floor “dots” that can help attendees determine the appropriate amount of space to allow between themselves and their colleagues and help limit the chances of contagion. 

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Inflatable Walls

Used extensively by the military for real-life training exercises, inflatable walls can be a great option when hosting a large-scale event. Inflatable walls are flexible (you can configure them in unlimited ways), rapidly set-up, portable and compact. For health and safety reasons, inflatable walls can be used effectively to maintain social distancing for those waiting in registration lines, direct one-way foot traffic in exhibit halls and guide attendees into merchandise payment lines.  Use of clear walls for these purposes can separate people without making them feel isolated.

In addition, inflatable walls are a terrific way to break down a large event space into smaller break out rooms, lounges or offices – thus keeping your attendees separated into smaller spaces. An added benefit is that the user can utilize unlimited branding and lighting opportunities.

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Contactless Payment

Money is dirty!  And the more times it passes from person to person, the more likely it will become a carrier of dirt and disease.  Contactless payment allows attendees to pre-load money before an event and then use either their wrist band, phone, or credit card to pay for on-site purchases. Addition benefits: speed and convenience.  A transaction can be completed in a few seconds with the swipe of a card or wristband. Contactless payment also offers the possibility of increased customer spend as the guest doesn’t “feel the pain” of pulling out physical dollars every time they make a purchase. 

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Self-Service Check In

It’s easy to avoid the long registration lines, misspelled name tags,  and unnecessary interactions between your event staff and attendees by using self-service check in. Using simple touchscreen technology to check in quickly, you can avoid pre-printing of badges (and stuffing!), more accurately record attendance, reduce the need for on-site staff, and capture more accurate data on attendees.

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Thermal Testing

At this point in the Covid-19 world, many venues are starting to use either thermal imaging cameras or temporal probes (basically thermometers!).  Both of these options should be considered when putting your event plans together.  But, please keep in mind that these are only supplements to a more comprehensive health and safety plan.  Neither option is 100% accurate so preventing the possibility of someone with a health issue entering the venue is not guaranteed. One company, Laser Focus World, is in development stages for a new test that is rapid and non-invasive, providing the possibility of real-time diagnosis upon entry to a venue.

While we are excited and encouraged by the gradual reemergence of live events, there is no doubt that it will require event planners to be thoughtful, to be innovative, and to consider health and safety in new ways.