Kenes Group successfully carried out in-person association events in Europe and the US, gathering more than 1000 people in total. Proof of vaccination, negative PCR test results were required in Paris, and attestation forms were filled in Baltimore.
The first hybrid annual conference of the American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (AABIP) took place 26-28 August in Baltimore, MD (US). Only a few days later, from 2-4 September, the team travelled to Paris, France, for the fully in-person 2nd Joint Congress of the International Neuromodulation Society European Chapters (e-INS 2021).
For AABIP the option for a hybrid event satisfied both the opportunity to meet for the first time since 2019 and the option to offer an online element for those that were not able to travel. The event attracted 415 delegates in Baltimore and 245 attendees online.
In early September, the city of Paris, France welcomed 490 participants for the joint congress of the INS European Chapters. This was the second event of the e-INS series, which was very well supported by exhibitors and sponsors underlining the need to meet in-person andnetwork face to face.
The main challenge of planning an in-person event in still uncertain times revolves around the changing biosecurity measures and mandates. The team behind the AABIP could not fly to the US, due to a travel ban for all Schengen area countries and a plan B was enforced.
Regardless of the challenges addressed by the Kenes Group team in Paris due to new mandates, the event gathered participants from 33 countries and was one of the first international meetings that took place at the venue since the start of the pandemic.
Both events clearly communicated the current mandates that each city had and the regulations that participants had to follow. For AABIP, all participants had to sign a form when registering onsite to attest to their vaccination or immunisation status. Masks were required by the state of Baltimore, but no social distancing, even if all areas were set up to provide additional space. In Paris, masks were not a requirement but were highly recommended, and similarly, there was additional space factored in all areas. All participants had to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter the venue.