SIA COVID POLICY

All SIA event registrants must read the following statement and agree to abide by the terms and conditions stated therein in order to participate in SIA events.

The SIA is committed to making our events safe experiences and to  protecting our members, volunteers, sites, vendors, and hotel, restaurant, and bus workers. We recognize that many of our members are, because of their age, considered at higher risk for severe symptoms. The SIA will proceed in the best interest with full due diligence for the protection of public health. 

Registration for SIA events will require proof of being fully up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations as defined by the Centers for Disease Control. Up to date means a person has received all recommended doses in their primary series COVID-19 vaccine, and booster doses when eligible.

There will be no exceptions to this requirement. If you have not provided proof of vaccination, your registration will be cancelled. Beyond our own commitment to protect the health of our members, this is also a requirement to visit some tour sites 

Event registrants should be prepared to wear masks when on buses and in indoor event venues. The CDC recommends that everyone aged 2 and older – including passengers and workers – properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator over the nose and mouth in indoor areas of transportation such as buses. When people properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator, they protect themselves and those around them, and help keep travel and our events safer for everyone.

Additionally, some of our tour destinations require masks. Observance of these requirements are a condition of participation in the tours and conference. A failure to comply will result in your removal from the tours and conference.

1. 1. COVID terms and conditions:The SIA wants all members to enjoy SIA events and have safe and rewarding experiences.
   2. ALL attendees must be vaccinated and show proof of vaccination prior to attending. We will be following CDC and local health authority guidelines for up-to-date vaccinated people at all events and programs.
   3. Failure to comply with SIA tour rules, including masking, may result in immediate expulsion from the tour and conference. Updated “road rules” will be provided by the time of the conference.
   4. In the event an attendee develops symptoms, they will immediately remove themselves from conference participation and self-isolate. They will need to get a rapid COVID test and a negative result to rejoin the conference. Any positive test results must be reported to the designated SIA Covid Safety Coordinator.
   5. CDC guidelines state that vaccinated individuals who are exposed to COVID do not need to isolate or get tested. However, we will ask for every registrant’s cell phone number and use it to notify attendees of any COVID event.
   6. Please refer to: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html and https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html for best practices.
   7. The SIA may, if official government recommendations change, modify these terms and conditions in order to protect the health of all involved in SIA events.  

Dated: August 15, 2022