Deciding to attend any event over the past two years has required increasingly elaborate mental mathematics. Equations like ‘If X people will be in one place with y masking requirements and z% positivity rate…’ has run through our minds as we have tried to balance the training we need with the rise and fall of infection rates.
We understand that everyone’s risk analysis will look a little different, which is why we want to share the facts you need to know about SQLBits 2022 and our COVID-19 precautions and policies.
Here’s what you need to know about SQLBits 2022:
We made virtual attendance extra flexible—even if you change your mind last-minute.
If we’ve learned anything about COVID-19, it’s that the situation can change at the drop of a hat. That’s why we’re making attending SQLBits 2022 extra flexible. Not only can you choose to attend virtually, but you can also switch your in-person tickets to virtual tickets as needed. Simply email us at contactus@sqlbits.com, making sure to include your registration number. We’ll switch your ticket and offer a 40% refund.
That means that if travel becomes inadvisable for you, or if you think you have been exposed to/infected with COVID-19, you can still safely enjoy SQLBits.
We’re all coming from difference places—literally and figuratively—so we’ve created a policy to protect everyone.
A lot of the anxiety of going out in public right now is due to the great unknowns. You know your current protections and how close to exposures you’ve been, but what about everyone else? It’s not that likely that anyone in the data community is being malicious—but we are all coming from different contexts in terms of local policies, public education, and personal risk factors.
That’s why all people who will physically be at SQLBits 2022 will be required to show one of the following before entering:
- Proof of completion of a full course of vaccination 2 weeks prior to arrival.
- Proof of a Negative Lateral Flow Test result, taken within 48hrs of arrival.
- Proof of a Negative PCR Test result, taken within 48hrs of arrival.
- Proof of natural immunity shown by a positive PCR test result for COVID-‐19, lasting for 180 days from the date of the positive test and following completion of the self-‐isolation period.
In addition, everyone will be required to wear a face covering, regardless of which of the above they are presenting upon entry, per UK government guidelines. Face masks may not be perfect at preventing infections, but they’re one of the important measures that work in conjunction with other precautions to reduce transmission.
From ventilation to cleaning, we’re ensuring as safe a venue as possible for everyone.
When thinking about conference venues in past, chances are you mostly thought about how convenient it might be to get to, or how easily you’re able to make a bee-line for the toilets after a particularly long session. We want to make sure that’s still the extent that you have to think about the venue. The SQLBits 2022 venue, ExCel Centre, has procedures in place to keep us safe.
For example, current research suggests that improved ventilation can lower infection risk—you’ll be happy to know that ExCel made upgrades to ventilation to improve fresh air circulation in line with latest CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) guidance and recommendations.
There are also new cleaning policies to both minimize possible surface contamination and to deal with the increased PPE waste.
Catering & partying will look a little different, but we still think you’ll love SQLBits 2022.
It might not be quite the same, but we think we’ve done a pretty good job planning for an event that everyone can enjoy without worry. That may mean putting your legendary buffet-clearing skills to rest for a year, but we’ve planned individually packed lunches that are just as tasty. And when it comes to the costume party—well, you might have to get creative when it comes to incorporating a face covering, but creativity has never been in short supply at SQLBits!
If you are looking for more information about our COVID-19 safety procedures and policies, you can check out our FAQ article. Or, reach our to our team at contact@sqlbits.com
