Fandom Events Steps and Guidelines for Large Events

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We are committed to having a masking and health policy at our Anime Convention which complies with state and local legal requirements.  Should an attendee refuse to comply with our policies, they will be in violation of our Code of Conduct and be ejected from our event.

 

The Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) released guidance to assist businesses in making decisions regarding reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides continuing to follow the recommendations issued by Colorado and local health departments when determining the most appropriate actions to take, Fandom Events has focused on these five steps:

 

1. Considering Preliminary Questions Before Reopening

According to the CDC guidance, we have considered three questions when deciding whether to reopen:

 

Are we in a community no longer requiring significant mitigation?

Yes - our member demographics are some of the lowest subset affected by COVID

Yes - by opening day of the event, the vaccine is readily available 

Will reopening be in compliance with state and local orders?

Yes - we will fully comply with The City, venue, and the State of Colorado.​

Will we be ready to protect participants at higher risk for severe illness?

Yes - Higher risk is attendees should abstain from attending the event

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2. Taking Recommended Safety Actions

• Promoting healthy hygiene practices;

• Intensifying cleaning, disinfection daily before, during, and after event hours

• Affordable event face coverings and numerous sanitation stations 

• If social distancing continues, the event will stagger lines to 6 feet per person and require face coverings for all participants

• Training all staff and volunteers in the above safety actions

 

3. Implementing  Safeguards For Participants

• Encouraging staff, members, exhibitors, and guests to take a vaccine. 

• Encouraging staff, members, exhibitors, and guests who are sick to stay home;

• Establishing routine, daily employee health checks the week of the event and during the weekend

• Creating and testing emergency communication channels for staff; and establishing communication with state and local health authorities

 

4. Preparing Our Physical Event Space 

The final step involves partnering with the venue to prepare our physical venue for attendees, whom we refer to as Members. The CDC has released guidance for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools, and homes.

 

We have reviewed this guidance when implementing cleaning procedures at our facilities after shelter-in-place orders are lifted. For example, for outdoor areas, we will maintain existing cleaning practices. As the CDC notes, viruses are killed more quickly by warmer temperatures and sunlight. As the event occurs in September, we highly encourage members to enjoy their stay at the property by daily utilizing their outdoor areas, such as the patio and pool.

 

For indoor areas that have been occupied within the last seven days, the CDC recommends that frequently touched surfaces and objects made of hard and non-porous materials (glass, metal, or plastic) be cleaned and disinfected more frequently. Frequently touched surfaces and objects made of soft and porous materials, such as carpet, rugs, or material in seating areas, will be thoroughly cleaned or laundered. If possible, the CDC recommends considering removing soft and porous materials in high traffic areas. Surfaces and objects that are not frequently touched will be cleaned on a routine basis. These steps are performed by the event property.

 

5. Maintain Vigilance

Our work is not completed once we open our doors and welcome back our members, exhibitors, and celebrity guests. Fandom Events and the property will maintain routine cleaning and disinfection procedures after reopening to reduce the potential for exposure. Finally, we will continue to monitor COVID-19 in our area, and if necessary, be prepared to close our facilities quickly if another outbreak occurs.

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Steps to Plan, Prepare, and Proceed with a Mass Gathering

 

The details of our emergency operations plan are based on the size and duration of our event, demographics of the participants, complexity of our event operations, and type of on-site services and activities provided by the State of Colorado, the host City, and the venue.

 

Fandom Events will review the emergency operations documents provided by the State of Colorado, the host city, and the event team at the venue to discuss the emergency operations plans and determine how they may impact aspects of our event, such as personnel, security, services and activities, functions, and resources.

 

We will work with the emergency operations coordinator or planning team to prepare for the key prevention strategies outlined in the CDC guidance and develop a contingency plan that addresses various scenarios  which we may encounter during the conclusion of the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

Fandom Events will establish relationships with key community partners and stakeholders in the host city to form key relationships for our events and include relevant partners such as the City's public health department, community leaders, vendors, suppliers, hospitals, the venue, airlines, transportation companies, and law enforcement.

 

Fandom Events will collaborate and coordinate with them on broader planning efforts and clearly identify each partner’s role, responsibilities, and decision-making authority. Fandom Events will contact the City's public health department for a copy of their outbreak response and mitigation plan for our community, and if necessary, participate in community-wide emergency preparedness activities.​

 

Fandom Events will promote the daily practice of everyday preventive actions by using health messages and materials developed by credible public health sources such as CDC or our local public health department to encourage our event staff and participants to practice good personal health habits.

 

Fandom Events will display signs (physical and/or electronic) throughout the event to provide frequent reminders to participants to engage in everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

 

This communication will include:

 

• Mandatory face coverings if issued by venue, local, or state guidelines.

• Stay home when you are sick or in a higher risk group 

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. 

• Hand Sanitizer stations will be placed frequently throughout the venue.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Fandom Events and the venue will clean frequently-touched surfaces and objects daily.

• Maintain appropriate social distancing and limit physical contact. Now is a great time to practice ojigi , or bowing! 

• Fandom Events and the venue will  provide COVID-19 prevention supplies to event staff and participants. 

  • Examples include hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, tissues, trash baskets, disposable face-masks, and cleaners and disinfectants. The venue will clean frequently-touched-surfaces and objects with detergent and water prior to disinfection, especially surfaces that are visibly dirty.

• ​The venue will routinely clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently touched. 

  • Note: Any participant who shows signs of illness may be asked to have their temperature taken and asked to leave the event with their membership revoked

  • Note: People in higher-risk groups should consult with their healthcare provider about attending large events and should consider staying home

• Fandom Events will discourage people who are sick from attending in person. This will include electronic messages sent to attendees prior to travel to the event as well as messages requesting that people leave if they begin to have symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Attendees should be encouraged to seek medical advice promptly by calling ahead to a doctor’s office or emergency room to get guidance. 

• If any participant becomes sick at our event, we will separate them from others and require them to leave the event as soon as possible. 

• Fandom Events will work with the local public health department and nearby hospitals to care for those who become sick. If needed, contact emergency services for those who need emergency care. Public transportation, shared rides, and taxis should be avoided for sick persons, and disposable face-masks should be worn by persons who are sick at all times when in a vehicle. Read more about preventing the spread of COVID-19 if someone is sick.

  • Note: Providing an event participant with a disposable face-mask to wear does not replace the need for that person to leave as soon as possible, stay home, and seek medical advice. Wearing a disposable face-mask while participating in a large event such as the event is not a sufficient infection control measure.

 

Fandom Events will work closely with local public health officials to assess local capacities in the area. During a COVID-19 outbreak, resource limitations among local healthcare systems and/or law enforcement can influence the decision to postpone or cancel our event., and Fandom Events will provide a virtual membership option.​

 

Sources:

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CDC Gatherings and Community Events - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/index.html

 

CDC's Promoting Healthy Behaviors that Reduce Spread - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/considerations-for-events-gatherings.html

 

CDC Activities and Initiatives Supporting the COVID-19 Response and the President’s Plan for Opening America Up Again - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/php/CDC-Activities-Initiatives-for-COVID-19-Response.pdf

 

Event Planning and COVID-19: Questions and Answers - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/event-planners-and-attendees-faq.html

 

Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers Responding to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), May 2020 - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html

 

Opening Up America Again - https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/

Open Up & Recover Safely (OURS) Plan - https://www.okcommerce.gov/covid19/ours-plan/