Two attendees at MPI’s World Education Congress (WEC) in Las Vegas who were fully vaccinated for COVID-19 tested positive for the virus post event, the association announced Tuesday.
MPI is monitoring attendee health through July 1, a two-week period since the end of WEC, June 15-17. There were 1,238 in-person attendees at WEC.
“Due to their being fully vaccinated, family and those around them have very little chance of contracting the virus,” the MPI Events team said in an email to attendees. “Further, these individuals were advised they do not need to quarantine.”
MPI implemented a duty of care plan for pre-, during and post in-person activations. The plan was adjusted following a survey of industry professionals registered to attend WEC that gauged sentiment and comfort related to changes in U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mask and social distancing guidance and updated protocols in Clark County, home to Las Vegas.
Attendees who were vaccinated against COVID-19 and who were not immunocompromised were not required to wear a mask indoors during the event.
Attendees who were unvaccinated or immunocompromised and those who were more comfortable wearing a mask were expected to do so.
MPI said it received 530 responses out of 864 WEC attendees surveyed.
MPI maintained physical distancing of three feet indoors throughout events and venues, where possible, including the use of plastic partitions, where appropriate.
Masks and physical distancing were relaxed for outdoor events.
MPI’s duty of care program for WEC Vegas did include:
· Name badges, lanyards and masks were mailed ahead of arrival.
· Onsite medical, in partnership with InHouse Physicians, S.C., conducted daily temperature checks before entering the event.
· Hand sanitizer stations were positioned throughout the meeting space.
· Responsible seating/barriers were utilized in all F&B and meeting areas.
· Signage reinforced spatial distancing and other safety reminders.
MPI said should an attendee test positive prior to July 1, or have additional questions, to contact wecreg@mpi.org.
MPI had similar results during WEC Grapevine, Nov. 3-6, 2020, when 800 attendees gathered in-person for WEC. One person informed the association of a positive COVID-19 test within the CDC-recommended post-event duty of care reporting protocols.
After the 10-day period, another attendee notified MPI of a positive test after they returned home and were exposed to someone there who had tested positive three days after WEC ended. A third attendee reported a positive test 11 days after WEC but reported no symptoms.
MPI said none of these cases were attributed to having attended WEC Grapevine, and contact tracing showed no additional spread.
