A La Carte NACE Blog
Fresh ideas and inspiration for your events.
Understanding and Monitoring COVID-19
Like many of you, NACE continues to monitor developments around COVID-19 and will provide essential updates and resources on this page as we learn more.
The health and safety of our members are of the utmost importance. We encourage members to follow prevention guidelines recommended by the CDC – Center for Disease Control and Prevention as well as follow their Travel Health Guidelines.
Prevention Guidelines:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Understanding Symptoms:
The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.*
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
Impact on Events
As COVID-19 spreads, there has been a string of conference and event cancellations, and there may be more to come. The Events Industry Council, PCMA, and other organizations have developed resources for professionals looking for guidance on event safety and cancellations. Event organizers should look at the nature of their event, demographic profiles, and the geographic draw of attendance when assessing the risks to attendees, staff, vendors, and to the local community.
- What Business Events Professionals Need to Know About the COVID-19 Coronavirus
- A Guide to Crisis Communications for Business Events Strategists
- Webinar: Is Your Event Covered in a Crisis Situation? Hosted by PCMA
- Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease
- Coronavirus: What You Need to Know About Cancelling an Event and Liability Risks
- Webinar: Contract Crisis Preparedness For Suppliers Hosted by PCMA
- Did Your Contract Anticipate the Arrival of Coronavirus?
- The Coronavirus and Contract Disputes – 10 Tips for Managing Legal Risk from Global Supply Chain Disruption
- What event organizers need to know about Coronavirus and canceling contracts
- SARS Hits Spring Meetings (June 1, 2013)
Industry professionals should continue to monitor national, state, and local health agencies and follow their recommendations.
Practicing Self-Care
Here a few ways you can keep calm and carry on during the next few weeks:
- Lean on community – With NACE, you are never alone in the challenges you face as event professionals. How you show up and lean on each other is more important than ever.
- Take a news detox for a few hours a day – While there is a legitimate reason to be concerned and take precaution, the constant media, and social media coverage, many of which may not be completely accurate, can be overwhelming. Limit your exposure to the news for a few hours and focus on what’s important to you, to help reduce anxiety and panic.
- Look for opportunity – There’s no doubt that catering & event professionals are being impacted in one way or another with event cancellations and postponements. While this most certainly creates financial uncertainty, this industry is also known for its ingenuity. Chris Meyer, Owner of The Brand Booth, a NACE National partner, said it best – “Now is the time to work on your CRM and fine-tune your process and flow to improve for the future. Now is the time to work in SEO / website/sales decks / and any other image/branding projects you’ve been putting off. Now is the time to focus on your education – learn new skills for your industry. Now is NOT the time to panic. Keep calm. Keep producing. Keep innovating. Keep moving forward.”
Share Your Story
We want to hear from you! How, if at all, is the spread of COVID-19 impacting your business. Share in the comments below or email info@nace.net.
Published March 5
Updated March 13

Anna Silveira
