NAB Show outlines COVID protocols ahead of 2021 conference

With registration in full swing for the 2021 NAB Show, scheduled for Oct. 9-13 in Las Vegas, the National Association of Broadcasters has released an initial list of COVID protocols attendees should expect at the conference. 

“Creating a healthy and safe environment for visitors to NAB Show remains a top priority. We are working with a top medical firm to guarantee we are following all health and safety protocols as outlined by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC),” writes the show on its Health & Safety page. 

As of August 2021, NAB Show has also announced all attendees must be vaccinated for COVID-19 with proof required. 

NAB Show to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination

The association estimates 85% of attendees are expected to be already vaccinated or be by the time the show begins. 

Meeting rooms, floor theatres and the typical trade show gatherings inside the Las Vegas Convention Center will be capped, meanwhile, at 75% of normal capacity.

Current NAB Show safety measures are expected to include:

• Health screenings such as temperature checks at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
• A no-contact policy for greetings.
• Hand sanitizer stations in public spaces including the show floor and meeting rooms.
• Upgraded HVAC with MERV 14 air filtration. 
• Enhanced cleaning of Las Vegas Convention Center.
• Exhibitors are asked to safely design booths with enhanced cleaning and disinfection services available.

Regarding masking, NAB Show encourages all participants to wear a face mask or covering but has not required it, noting the convention will follow CDC and Clark County, Nevada guidelines.

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NAB will also have a COVID-19 contact tracing app available for visitors that notifies users of likely exposure. The app, COVID Trace, is from the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health and currently has a 2.8 rating on the Apple App Store.   

The 2021 NAB Show is scheduled to utilize only a portion of its normal footprint at the Las Vegas Convention Center with the South Hall shuttered. The normal South Hall exhibitors, such as Blackmagic Design, have relocated for the 2021 event to North Hall.

West Hall, which officially opened in Summer 2021 with 1.4 million square feet of additional floor space, is also not active for this year’s event according to an exhibitor map available on the NAB Show website. 

COVID-19 vaccines have undergone extensive testing and monitoring to ensure their safety. Scientific research has shown COVID-19 vaccines to be very safe and highly effective in decreasing the likelihood of contracting the illness and, if one does become sick, symptoms are less severe and less likely to lead to hospitalization or death. For more information about COVID-19 and coronavirus, visit the CDC website. You can locate a free vaccination site or clinic near you at Vaccines.gov. As with any medical decision, you should always discuss your options with your doctor.