ASTA is excited for the opportunity to see our members in person again! Participants who come to the live event will have additional benefits, from in-person, socially-distanced tours and opportunities with attendees and potential speakers, to the evening Welcome Reception on Monday, to a variety of networking experiences in Washington, DC. Best of all, registering in-person is risk-free in terms of registration costs, which are fully refundable if your circumstances should change. A virtual-only registration option is also provided at a lower cost.

ASTA is carefully monitoring developments related to COVID-19 as it pertains to regulations, guidelines and event logistics to ensure the health and safety of our event participants. Our conference is designed for maximum COVID-19 safety, including social distancing in our meeting space layout. Our meetings staff is Pandemic Compliance Advisor certified and we take our Duty of Care seriously. Our host hotel, the Grand Hyatt Washington, is a GBAC-STAR certified facility, ready to provide a safe and enjoyable event for ASTA participants.

For a complete list of current Washington, D.C. Travel restrictions, click here. 

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WHAT TO EXPECT ON-SITE

We have already taken steps to ensure that CDC guidelines will be followed for all participants' health and safety, including the following:

• Masks will be required at the event for those not fully vaccinated (must have received your final vaccination shot at least two weeks before arrival to the conference).
• Daily self-assessment health screenings will be offered and proof of screening shown will be required at the entrance daily. See our Quick Start Guide for the ASTA HealthShield screening and FAQs for more information.
• Daily temperature checks will be provided.
• Hand sanitizer and wellness kits will be provided.
• Meeting space will be planned for social distancing and food service will be modified for maximum safety.
• Your seat for the conference, once you have selected it, will be yours and yours alone for every session. 
• ASTA will offer full cancellation with refund should you or your close contacts become ill or have exposure to COVID-19.
• Options for virtual participation are also offered.
• If you should need medical care during the conference, here is a list of nearby health facilities.
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BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME

• ASTA requests that you provide your mobile phone number within your registration so that we may send in-person attendees a daily health assessment each morning of the live event, to check for any new symptoms that any attendee may be experiencing.
• If possible, please bring your proof of vaccination card with you to the conference.
• If you are not vaccinated, there is a free resource to complete a cost-free, at-home COVID test prior to your departure to the conference. You can request yours here. At home COVID tests are also now available for purchase in local pharmacies. 
• Once on-site, attendees will be asked to show their proof of completion of the very brief daily health-assessment (which will be texted to your phone each morning). Attendees will also be provided a choice of color codes for your badge, indicating either "green," "yellow" or "red" to immediately and non-verbally communicate to those around you as to your comfort level with proximity/social interaction. Green indicates that closer contact is acceptable to you (for example, if you might be already vaccinated), yellow means you're open to social interaction as long as distance and masks are maintained, and red means please keep your distance from me.
• Review the most current health and travel guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) and local health agencies.
• Be aware of all current travel restrictions and guidance. Many states and jurisdictions have travel guidelines that are subject to change at any time.
• You may want to visit the CDC Self-Checker, an online tool that will walk you through a series of questions about possible COVID-19 symptom questions and next steps.
  
  See you this June!