Attendee health and safety remains our priority as we welcome everyone to #AWP22 in Philadelphia. The AWP board and staff are staying in close contact with the City of Philadelphia and our venues to ensure that COVID-19 precautions and procedures are in place. We will follow all federal, state, and local health guidelines to ensure the safety of the in-person meeting in March 2022.

As #AWP22 is still many months away, we are taking the planning one step at a time and are committed to remaining flexible. The conference team is planning a visit to Philadelphia at the end of June and will provide updates shortly after. The planning process includes regularly monitoring the situation to make adjustments and posting updates when changes are confirmed.

Following guidance from the Center for Disease Control and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Pennsylvania Convention Center has released their reactivation plan to bring meetings and gatherings safely back to the venue. The venue has received Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR accreditation, making it one of the only large venues in the northeast to receive this gold standard for safe venues.

As of June 11, 2021, the City of Philadelphia will be reopening with no occupancy restrictions, with the stipulation that all guests and staff must wear a mask. Even though occupancy restrictions will be lifted, the Pennsylvania Convention Center will continue their increased health and safety protocols.

Included below is a summary of what the Pennsylvania Convention Center is doing to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 for meetings and events.

Sanitization

The center has increased sanitization protocols, including

• - disinfection of high-touch surfaces and objects
• - installation of hand sanitizer machines
• - improved HVAC and air purification systems, which have been installed or will be installed by March 2022

AWP Attendee Protocols

In partnership with the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the City of Philadelphia, we have the following considerations in place (subject to change as we move closer to March 2022):

• - devising a safe registration area, which includes physical distancing and queue line spacing
• - designating the flow of travel through certain parts of the building as one-way to encourage distancing, which will be marked by signage
• - limiting capacities in meeting rooms, elevators, and bathrooms to avoid overcrowding
• - requiring masks while inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center
• - distancing the exhibit hall with booths and tables spread out more than they normally would be
• - planning for the needs of attendees with disabilities as we implement health and safety protocol

Don’t Feel Comfortable Attending in Person?

If you do not feel comfortable attending AWP in person, please take advantage of our virtual registration to enjoy many aspects of the conference from home. The virtual component of the conference will present a selection of prerecorded events and a number of livestreamed events from the in-person conference.

Additional Resource Links:

Pennsylvania Convention Center COVID-19 Updates

Pennsylvania Convention Center Re-Activation Operating Framework

Latest guidance from the City of Philadelphia

Latest guidance from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Latest guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Philadelphia Inquirer: A volleyball tournament came to Philadelphia last month. Convention planners say it shows how to hold large events in the pandemic.