Eyecelerator@AAO 2021: Health and Safety

Eyecelerator@AAO 2021

Thursday, November 11, 2021
8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. CT

Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
New Orleans

Bring the future of ophthalmology into focus.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Vaccination and Requirements

Current as of March 1, 2022: Eyecelerator and ASCRS have determined that proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required for everyone attending Eyecelerator in Washington, DC.

Eyecelerator is committed to the health and well-being of meeting attendees, exhibitors, staff, and faculty. The following measures are implemented in accordance with regulations set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health department entities.

Procedures and Protocols
This information is subject to change based on relevant regulations and recommendations.

Expectations for all meeting participants:

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination matching an ID or passport will be required for all participants. This may be done using the Clear app or by bringing a COVID Vaccination card or COVID immunization record for staff to verify at the Registration desk.
Eyecelerator requires vaccination for COVID-19 for meeting attendance. If you are claiming a vaccine exemption, please proceed to the onsite registration desk onsite for assistance obtaining your badge.
Local health department entities in Washington, D.C., have lifted indoor mask mandates as of March 1. Masking is optional for meeting attendees.
All meeting participants are expected to observe and engage in recognized preventive actions to help ensure a safe environment, such as frequent hand washing.
Attendees should not attend the meeting if they have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 14 days or if they are concerned that they have been exposed to the virus within the last 14 days and could possibly test positive.
Should a meeting participant test positive for COVID-19, register a temperature, or become ill during the course of the meeting, he/she should observe recognized quarantining procedures.

Showing Proof of Vaccination

U.S. Attendees
The Academy will be using the CLEAR app to facilitate proof of vaccination at Eyecelerator @ ASCRS 2022. Create a CLEAR Health Pass on your mobile device to enter the meeting registration area and collect your meeting badge.

If you arrive without having already completed the proof of vaccination process, it may result in unnecessary delays as we process and verify the information you provide.

Download CLEAR for free then follow the steps below before arriving.

Open the CLEAR app
Tap on the white Health Pass tile
Select “All” and enter the code AAO2021
Create your account (you will be asked for your phone number and email; to scan a photo ID; and then to take a photo)
Follow prompts to add your COVID-19 proof of vaccination. You can securely link to a health provider, scan a SMART QR code or upload your CDC card.

Need help? Watch a 36-second video tutorial or contact meetings@aao.org.

US Attendees

International Attendees

Health Pass Vaccine Link Demo from CLEAR on Vimeo.

When you arrive at the convention center, open the CLEAR app to show your green Health Pass, which proves you’re good to go. Enter the convention center at either the Julia Street or Lobby G doors. Show your green Health Pass to security and again at registration, along with a photo ID.

Once you have your EYECELERATOR badge, you will not need to show proof of vaccination again unless you lose your badge.

With CLEAR, you are always in control of your information. The Academy only receives confirmation that an attendee satisfied the requirements for access with the equivalent of a red or green result — we never have access to an individual’s private health data. For further information on how CLEAR protects user data, review the member terms.

Need further assistance with Health Pass? Contact CLEAR’s Member Care team directly in the CLEAR app, by calling 1-855-CLEARME (253-2763) or through email at memberservices@clearme.com.

International Attendees

International attendees are not able to use the CLEAR app. Bring a copy or photo of your proof of vaccination to the convention center. It should clearly show which vaccine you received and the dates you received each shot. All WHO EUL vaccines will be accepted.

Enter the convention center at either the Julia Street or Lobby G doors and proceed to the Needs Assistance desks.

The US government has announced that travel restrictions for certain countries will be lifted starting November 8. Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for more information as well as for the entry requirements.

Find more information for international attendees.

Accepted Vaccines

Pfizer-BioNTech
Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen
Moderna
AstraZeneca-Oxford
Sinopharm
Serum Institute of India: Covishield
Sinovac: CoronaVac

Unvaccinated Individuals

Individuals with Medical or Religious Exemptions for Vaccination
You cannot participate in Eyecelerator@AAO 2021.

Recovered From COVID, Have Antibodies

The CDC strongly advises that all who have had COVID should also be vaccinated. Learn more about the risks of reinfection. In light of this evidence, Eyecelerator requires all attendees to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 10 in order to attend the in-person meeting in New Orleans.

Recovered From COVID, Received Monoclonal Antibody Therapy

Treatment with monoclonal antibodies is not a substitute for a vaccine. However, those who were not previously vaccinated and received a monoclonal antibody infusion for COVID-19 cannot be vaccinated within 90 days of their infusion. If you have had COVID AND monoclonal antibody treatment between June 13, 2021 and November 10, 2021, you may register for the in-person meeting in New Orleans. You will need to bring a letter from your physician attesting to your diagnosis and treatment dates in order to obtain your badge at the convention center.

Definition of Fully Vaccinated
By Nov. 10 you must be 2 weeks post your final dose:

Second dose in a 2-dose series, such as with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
The one shot of a single-dose vaccine such as with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine

Convention Center Staff and Meeting Vendors
While the goal is to have everyone who works to create the meeting be vaccinated, we are still investigating what can be legally require of other organizations’ employees. We will update this section with more information as it becomes available.

Registering Onsite
To register onsite, you will need your proof of vaccination to access the convention center. Online registration is open throughout the meeting. We highly recommend that you register and verify your vaccination status in advance to speed up your badge pick-up in the convention center.

Masks

Regardless of the status of the local mandate, all attendees, exhibitors, guests, staff and vendors will be required to wear masks in the convention center.

Masks should:

Completely cover your mouth and nose.
Fit snugly without gaps.

Disposable masks will be available onsite should you need one.

Onsite Safety Measures

All meeting rooms will be set up to allow for more social distancing.
The convention center and AV staff will be cleaning all meeting rooms between sessions, including chairs, tables, podium and microphones.
Hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the convention center.
As much as possible, food and beverage will be served individually packaged.

Rapid COVID-19 Testing

There are rapid testing locations in New Orleans.