The global pandemic, COVID-19 has had a severe impact on the events industry. In most countries, social events and gatherings have been restricted to avoid the spread of the virus. Where allowed, strict implementations of safety guidelines have been issued that must be followed. Because of this, several events are either canceled or postponed while few others have resorted to virtual alternatives.
With the reopening of cities and states worldwide, events and gatherings are now permitted but should be held according to your country or state’s restrictions.
If you are planning on hosting an event, ensure that your plans align with your states or territories guidelines so that you do not breach any COVID related laws. Make way for adjustments to fit the unique needs and conditions during the pandemic while also assessing any risks which you and your guests may be exposed to. As a top priority, it is important to reduce any health and safety hazards which may present themselves in order to keep you and your guests safe during this global pandemic.
Below we have devised a list of suggestions to enhance the protection and reduction to any health risks for your staff, vendors, and attendees on your event
Limiting attendees
The most crucial thing to consider for your event is the number of attendees. Having a large crowd can be a high-risk situation since the virus is spread through person-to-person contact. There are guidelines implemented by your state on the limit of attendees per event. It is best practise to adhere to these rules in order to keep everyone safe.
One way to maximize the attendees of your event is to hire a drone videographer to film or live-stream your event so guests have the option to view the event virtually in their home. This is called a hybrid event, a combination of a live in-person and virtual.
Shorten the time period of the event
The longer the time of people’s interaction at an event, the higher the potential risks of them being infected with COVID-19. Prudently plan your event schedule and keep it short as much as possible.
Venue considerations
If held indoors, ensure that the venue ventilation system works properly and opt to increase outdoor airflow by opening windows and doors. Choose larger rooms so you can arrange optimal seating or table arrangements for your attendees. Outdoor venues are highly recommended since they offer proper ventilation and often are spacious enough to implement physical distancing among guests.
Disinfecting the venue
Have a disinfecting team to regularly clean and disinfect commonly used areas (dining hall, lounges, bar area, buffet, restrooms) and frequently touched surfaces (door handles, sink handles, hand railings, tables, bar countertops, condiments holder, faucets, light switches) in your venue. This should be done prior to the commencement of your event and during the event.
Provide a sanitizing station
Provide a sanitizing station where your guests can frequently wash their hands and sanitise to kill any lingering bacteria. Adequately supply hand soap, alcohol wipes, hand sanitizers, paper towels and tissues on your sanitizing station. The use of restroom and sanitizing stations should be monitored by at least one of your staff to avoid crowding and physical contact between attendees.
Physical distancing
Assign tables and chairs to each attendee in accordance with the social distancing rules. Remind guests to follow physical distancing guidelines ― stay at least 1.5 m apart, avoid physical greetings like handshakes, hugs and kisses. Provide guides like tape or sticker marks on floors to make sure that attendees remain at a safe distance from one another. Physical barriers and partitions can also be useful in implementing physical distancing.
Set a rule on what is the safe distance between attendees on the dance floor. Also, put barriers on the event’s DJ area so that people will not crowd in one place.
Mandatory wearing of face masks
Require the wearing of face masks to all attendees, staff and vendors. Face masks are essential preventive items to reduce the spread of the virus amongst your guests. Each person is encouraged to wear masks, especially in large gatherings where physical distancing is difficult.
Post signs of safety guidelines around the venue
Let your attendees, staff and vendors know about the safety guidelines before the start of the event; during the event, remind everyone of these precautions and make sure they are being followed thoroughly.
Put signs on highly visible areas like entrances or restrooms to remind attendees of the event’s guidelines. Let your DJ broadcast regular announcements ― this is the best way to get people’s attention and listen to those safety reminders.
Before the day of the event, remind the attendees, staff and vendors to complete a personal health assessment to check if they are fit to attend the event. If they are not feeling well and showing some symptoms but uncertain if they are infected with the virus, advise them to stay home or seek medical help.
Given the detrimental impact that COVID has had on both individuals and businesses so far, it is important to take measures in order to reduce the risks of spreading the virus during event based scenarios.
