COVID Health and Safety Policies For Exhibitors

Updated June 8, 2022

Planning for ISTELive 22 in New Orleans

As we've seen over the past year, planning an in-person event during COVID-19 requires flexibility as guidelines around the country change, and more is learned about the virus and best practices for keeping participants safe. Your health and safety are important to us. We continue to track news and science around COVID, and we will continue closely monitoring expert guidance on COVID health and safety protocols, as well as working closely with local officials.

What To Expect at ISTELive 22

As of March 21, 2022, both mask and vaccination requirements have been lifted in almost all locations and situations in New Orleans. Given the updates to local requirements and the wider availability of affordable testing, we are offering new options for meeting COVID safety guidelines (outlined below).

Required to Enter the Event: Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination OR Negative COVID Test

While we strongly encourage all participants to be vaccinated against COVID-19, we will also offer a testing alternative to vaccination proof.

• All participants must show proof of vaccination OR a verified negative test result to pick up an ISTELive 22 badge. If staff, labor and other service providers working on your behalf plan to be on facility property for more than four days please plan to retest on the fifth day. Test results are good for four days only. Please reference the grid below for testing and retesting dates as needed.

Please note that labor and other contractors who arrive for move in but then return for move out will need to retest to regain access.

• To simplify and speed up badge pickup, ISTELive will use a secure third-party platform (CLEAR) to collect proof of vaccination or the negative test. Once you have provided your proof of vaccination or a negative test result in the Clear app and picked up your badge, you will not need to verify your vaccination status or test again.

Vaccine Option Details

• ISTELive participants who choose to provide proof of a completed primary vaccination series must adhere to the following guidelines: The proof must demonstrate full vaccination as defined by the CDC, and the final vaccine dose must be dated at least 14 days prior to badge pickup date. Attendees are highly encouraged to receive a booster vaccination, if eligible.
• International participants wishing to select the vaccination proof option must bring their vaccination card or show digital proof of vaccination from a national health portal (as vaccine verification through CLEAR is only available to domestic users). Accepted vaccines include all vaccines approved by the CDC for travel to the U.S.
  • Vaccine cards must be in English for verification purposes. International attendees without English-language vaccine cards will need to use the testing option.

Testing Option Details

• ISTELive participants who choose to show proof of a negative test must adhere to the following testing protocol:
  • Approved COVID-19 tests include molecular, nucleic acid amplification (NAAT), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), transcription mediated amplification (TMA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), NEAR, Helicase Dependent Amplification (HDA) and antigen. If using a home antigen test, it will need to be proctored through a telehealth appointment that results in a digital certificate being issued that can be uploaded to the CLEAR app.
  • Please do not bring your test stick or photo of a test stick as proof of a negative result. You must upload the digital certification of the negative result to the CLEAR app.

Please be aware that some virtual proctors may require a specific test, so order with shipping time in mind. Once you have received your test results, please upload them to the Event on the CLEAR app. You will be asked to show the green approval page in the CLEAR app to pickup your badge. Learn more about the CLEAR app process.

Healthy Venues and Protocols

We will follow local laws and CDC recommendations for masking, social distancing protocols and other health practices, with the official policy around these elements finalized mid-May. Should conditions of the virus and community transmission rates remain similar to the current state, the below policies will be in place.

• Masks - At this time, we will not require masks to be worn during the conference. If wearing a mask will make you feel more comfortable while attending the conference, we highly encourage you to do so. As we monitor what happens in New Orleans and nationally with the lifting of mask mandates, we reserve the right to reinstate a mandate for all or specific areas of the conference if conditions worsen or local ordinances reinstate masking guidelines.
• Social distancing - Space design will allow for attendees to select the experiences that match their comfort level. We encourage attendees to interact and engage at the conference in a manner that adds to the collective experience, while allowing for individual choice.
• Booth density (optional) - Within booths, designing toward social distancing to allow for varying comfort level of the audience is optional. For reference, current IAEE standards are based on 28 sq feet per person, including both booth staff and attendees, to allow for social distancing. To determine your booth's maximum occupation potential within this standard, please divide your booth's total square footage by 28.
• Safe practices - We will issue best practices while networking, collaborating and engaging in hands-on demonstrations.
• Hand washing/sanitizer - Hand-sanitizing stations will be placed throughout ISTELive venues to encourage frequent hand sanitization.
• Food and beverage precautions - Catering and concession outlets in ISTELive venues will follow health and safety precautions, including adequate spacing to promote social distancing and providing prepackaged food options.
• The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has earned GBAC STAR™ accreditation, meaning employees are trained and already applying increased cleaning protocols within the facility to ensure a safe venue. We will be working closely with their staff on any state, local and federal guidelines that need to be implemented, as well as maximizing their current operations, such as increased air intake and session room cleaning.

ISTELive Health Pledge

You are committed to:

• Adhering to ISTELive's COVID-19 policies and mitigation measures.
• Wearing masks properly when/if required, over both the nose and mouth.
• Practicing respiratory etiquette when masks are not required, such as covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
• Exercising good hygiene, such as frequently washing or sanitizing your hands.
• Staying up to date with CDC's recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters approved by the CDC for travel to the U.S.

You agree that you will not participate in or attend any ISTELive event if any of the following apply to you:

• You have tested positive for COVID-19 and have not completed CDC's guidelines for discontinuing isolation.
• You are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
• Within the previous 5 days, you have had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, but you have not completed the Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines recommended by the CDC.

Additional Details

• Facility staff, vendors, and service providers - ISTE is working with each group that helps to produce ISTELive 22 to ensure their respective staffs are vaccinated or provide a negative test result when working with our conference.
• Hotels - ISTE encourages each hotel offered for ISTELive 22 to follow COVID protocols matching the policies above, but ISTE cannot enforce the policies in the same manner beyond the convention center. We recommend reviewing the COVID guidelines of each hotel on the ISTELive 22 Housing portal to understand their specific policies.
• Affiliated conference events - ISTE encourages each vendor and partner organization that may be hosting an event in conjunction with ISTELive 22 to follow COVID protocols matching the policies above. Attendees may contact your organization to inquire about protocols for any affiliated conference events.

We thank you for your continued support and look forward to welcoming you back to ISTELive in person in June. We have an amazing lineup of presenters, exhibitors and interactive programming planned, and we can’t wait to see you back in person!