BCMC Develops Comprehensive COVID Response Plan

BCMC has developed a comprehensive COVID-19 response plan to ensure attendees can feel confident about their personal health. This plan focuses on reducing and/or eliminating typical congestion points and wait lines at the trade show, while also defaulting to personal responsibility when it comes to deciding when and what to attend.

To address crowding, the BCMC registration area will be socially-distanced and several steps are being taken to speed up the on-site registration process. For those wishing to avoid the registration area during peak times, alternate accommodations can be made on an individual basis. BCMC has also added 5400 square feet to the kick-off and economic forecast sessions, typically the two most well-attended single events of the show, so that tables can be more spread out with less seats per table.

Education session start times will also be staggered, to reduce the amount of traffic in the hallways at a given time and reduce the amount of congestion around session rooms. Please check the BCMC App and on-site signage for specific start time of each session. Seating within education sessions rooms will also be socially distanced and staff will be on hand to help reduce crowding at the back of the room.

The traditional ribbon cutting ceremony at the show floor entrance, which traditionally creates the largest congestion point at the show, is cancelled for 2021. The exhibit hall naturally encourages social distancing, and BCMC will provide several additional resources to ensure the well-being of attendees, including:

• 10,000 medical masks available to all attendees and exhibitors. Masks will be encouraged, but not required. This is subject to change if local regulations or requirements are updated.
• Sanitizer stations will be located throughout the convention center and show floor.
• Sanitizer wipes will be readily available near any surfaces that are regularly touched.
• Each attendee and exhibitor will be given a personal-use sanitizer bottle.
• Colored wristbands will be available to provide a non-verbal signal about personal comfort level; red will indicate a wish for no contact, yellow will indicate a wish for limited contact

In addition, PCR COVID testing will be available on-site for all international travelers, and rapid COVID testing will be available nearby for anyone who desires a test at any time. Temperature scans will be administered as individuals enter the show floor. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or higher will not be allowed to attend a BCMC-sponsored event. In general, every exhibitor and attendee is encouraged to exercise personal responsibility when it comes to symptoms. If anyone develops health symptoms commonly associated with COVID-19, they are encouraged to stay away from the show and seek a rapid test.