The 2020 Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) Annual Meeting is scheduled to take place, as planned, May 13-16, 2020, in Scottsdale, Arizona.   We have heard from attendees that they are committed to attend the SID Meeting and we thank them for their continued engagement. SID Leadership and Management respects the decision of those who decide to cancel their participation and look forward to seeing them in the future.

“Due to the COVID-19 (also known as coronavirus) outbreak, the SID is closely monitoring the ongoing potential impact for our attendees, exhibitors, and hotel staff, said Ponciano Cruz, Jr., MD, President.  “We are reviewing the guidelines from worldwide health organizations and other experts and are committed to taking appropriate precautions to provide a safe and healthy environment for attendees.”

The SID understands that individuals who have been in China (originating or visiting) or other countries may be unable to participate in-person at the SID Annual Meeting due to travel restrictions barring access to the U.S.  The SID will continue to support attendees based in various countries on their final decisions, and we thank them for their continued engagement.

The U.S. Government has taken steps to mitigate the concerns regarding COVID-19. This includes (effective in early February) suspending entry of any foreign national who has been to China within the past 14 days. Please reference links below for more information.

The SID will:

  • Follow recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the policies of the local government and city officials
  • Identify local medical facilities that will be able to promptly care for attendees that may require immediate treatment

The SID is also planning to implement additional onsite tools for registrants, exhibitors and onsite personnel, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Increased availability of hand-sanitizing stations
  • Partnering with the Westin Kierland for increased cleaning and disinfection process across all high-volume touchpoints (catering areas, surfaces, handrails, restrooms, entrances/exits, touchscreens, etc.) along with the use of cleaning/sanitizing materials and products
  • Having an on-site medical support plan in place
  • Awareness campaign via online and onsite information and signage
  • Create an environment to promote a ‘touch-free’ exhibition and conference:
    • Communicating the adoption of a ‘no-handshake policy’
    • Reduce/eliminate business card exchanges
      • Attendees:  We encourage you to utilize available technologies like the SID mobile app, AirDrop or other available services to share contact information.

We strongly urge exhibitors and attendees to implement appropriate guidelines and protocols as suggested by the CDC/WHO and other health authorities.  The SID will endeavor to provide a safe and healthy environment for all attendees.

Additional information regarding COVID-19 can be found at the following links:

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/
  2. CDC Meetings https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/gathering/index.html
  3. World Health Organization (WHO) https://www.who.int/

 

The SID will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.