Annual Meeting: Covid-19 Safety Policies & Reports
Post-AABA Updates
We have received nine reports of positive COVID-19 tests from AABA attendees (as of May 1, 2023). There were ~1,200 people in attendance in Reno.
AABA will not be conducting contact tracing. If you have tested positive, please let colleagues with whom you were in close contact know. We wish everyone who does test positive a very mild case and a full and speedy recovery!
AABA is committed to providing a safe conference experience, especially for vulnerable members of our community. AABA will require COVID-19 vaccination and masking in meeting rooms and poster sessions in Reno. Policies may be revised to be more strict if that is necessary to follow CDC and State of Nevada guidance. We are closely monitoring news, science, and CDC guidance related to COVID variants and will update our policies as needed.
While AABA policies at conference events provide multiple layers of protection against COVID transmission (vaccinations, masking, air flow, etc.), attendee care and vigilance during and outside of the conference is critical. We strongly encourage attendees to protect themselves during their personal time in Reno outside of conference events and spaces as well as at the conference.
Vaccination Requirement
Vaccination is required for attendance at AABA 2023, with very few allowable exceptions. We ask that all attendees be up-to-date on COVID boosters currently available to them. Anyone granted an exception must submit a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of the first day of the conference. Please reach out to AABA President Steve Leigh to discuss criteria for exceptions or concerns you have about this policy.
Masking Policy
Indoor masking is required for all attendees (vaccinated or unvaccinated) at the AABA 2023 conference with a few exceptions. KN95 masks will be available for all AABA attendees at the registration desk. A limited number of medical-grade N95 masks will also be available. Disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer will be provided at each podium. Exceptions to the universal masking policy include:
- Vaccinated speakers have the option to lower their masks while presenting if there is at least 10 feet of distance between the speaker and the audience. The front row of seating in each room will be at least 10 feet from the podium.
- Attendees can momentarily shift their mask to sip a drink while inside meeting rooms, but prolonged unmasking to eat or drink is not allowed in meeting rooms.
- Prolonged unmasking to eat or drink is allowed in the exhibit portion of the exhibit hall and other common areas of the conference venue, but NOT in the meeting rooms or poster sessions. We encourage attendees to eat and drink outdoors when possible.
COVID Illness and COVID Test Reporting
Please report any positive COVID tests at or following AABA in Reno to the AABA COVID Safety call line (703-592-9946) or reporting form. AABA will not perform contact tracing. AABA will post the numbers of cases reported in the two weeks after the meeting. You can report anonymously and privacy is strictly maintained among a small number of BAI staff. Officers or other AABA members cannot access this information.
- If you have symptoms of COVID, test positive even if you don’t have symptoms, or are made aware that you are considered a close contact (from days before the conference or time in Reno), follow CDC guidance linked below and any additional policies of your home institution.
- Given the short duration of the conference, it is more likely that COVID exposure in Reno would lead to a positive test after the conference rather than during the conference itself. Please also report positive tests obtained after the conference that could indicate that you had COVID during your visit to Reno.
Current CDC guidance on quarantining and isolation:
Enforcement of COVID Safety During the Conference
Burk & Associates Inc. (BAI), AABA’s society management company, will have staff on the ground during the conference who will address safety issues and inform AABA attendees about our safety policies. BAI and members of AABA leadership will be available to respond to concerns raised in the conference center. They will also be regularly walking through conference spaces and available in-person.
Need Additional Information?
AABA recognizes that individuals and institutions may have specific COVID safety standards that need to be met to consider attendance of the meeting. Please reach out if you need more information (aabavp@usc.edu).