Here at The Event Ally LLC we get lots of calls to help save productions after clients find their chosen partners aren't quite as well-versed in COVID-19 compliance as they initially suggested. These calls usually happen only a day or two before the event activation, after much stress and wasted time. Now the resolution will take additional funding to correct.

So how can you avoid that situation? To start with, ask your partner the following 10 questions related to COVID-19 safety. Some of these seem rather obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people never ask. And even though these questions don't answer everything, they are an excellent starting point as you dive into COVID-19 compliance for your next trade show or event.

1. What certifications, training, and experience do you and your staff have in COVID-19 compliance?
When someone says they are being COVID-19 compliant, it means they are abiding by another organization's guidelines. So first you'll want to know what rules they are following. Is it the local government or health department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a labor union, or a venue? Maybe they have their own guidance that is a combination of different sources. They should be able to provide you written documentation of the guidance and rules they are following.

There are several online courses one can take to be a certified COVID-19 Compliance Officer (CCO). Johns Hopkins, the Georgia Film Academy, and the Los Angeles County Department of Health all have excellent no-cost COVID-19 compliance training available. You may also want to look for general safety and pandemic training from OSHA and cleanliness/sanitization training from GBAC. There's always The Event Ally's series of training courses as well.

In addition to these courses, you'll want to know what recent experience they've had in real-world application. If they haven't had any yet, you should confirm they've taken their trainings recently so they have the most up-to-date knowledge. You can also give them some hypothetical situations to see what their responses are, ensuring they align with your company's wishes.

2. Who is responsible for COVID-19 compliance on site, and what other duties do they have?
This is a bit of a trick question. Both the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend you have someone on site who is dedicated to COVID-19 compliance. Some local governments, such as Los Angeles County and New York State, require this person for any in-person gatherings. These individuals (often your CCO, though some folks may use a different title) can have no other duties or responsibilities while they are on site. They can't be running out for supplies or taking conference calls planning the next event. You may also need more than one on-site CCO, depending on the venue and how many people are involved.

3. How are you handling staff redundancy?
There should be a backup for everyone who is mission critical to your activation's success in the event someone falls ill or has a close contact with someone with COVID. Your partner should have a plan that considers this and ensures primary and backup personnel remain separated (whether that's on or off site).

4. How are you assessing that staff or guests are cleared to enter the event site?
This should include the standard temperature check and symptom-screening questions. It may also extend to COVID-19 testing and proof of vaccination. Whatever the process, your partner should be able to clearly explain how they activate these health checks and manage any records generated.

5. What are your COVID-19 travel policies?
These policies should align with the latest requirements from the CDC as well as local governments. Your partner should be able to articulate how they manage travel from each person's point of origin to the event destination, as each location may have differing rules. They should also be able to provide official citations that confirm these policies. For example, if the partner is bringing in an out-of-state staffer, they should be prepared to prove that the government does not require this person to quarantine upon arrival. If they cannot provide an official source noting their policies, this should be a giant red flag. Travel policies also apply in and around the event site and includes ridesharing, public transportation, and protocols in regard to staff traveling with each other.

6. How are you communicating your COVID-19 health and safety protocols to staff and guests both prior to arrival and once onsite?
Your partner should be able to explain distinct plans for both front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) communications. Ideally, there will be an email sent in advance with all the protocol information, including travel guidance. There should also be a virtual meeting to review the information with all staff who will be on site. Within the plans, there needs to be a mechanism for feedback and flexibility, including a way to communicate with both staff and guests should there be any updates to protocols.

7. What's the communication plan for a positive on-site COVID-19 case?
Have your partner take you through a step-by-step plan of what happens if there is a positive COVID-19 case at the event. This plan should include contact names, phone numbers, and the responsibilities of each person in the chain of command.

8. What personal protective equipment (PPE) and other related supplies do you provide staff and guests?
Your partner should be able to detail what PPE supplies they will be providing, the estimated number of supplies needed, specific use plans, restocking plans, secure on-site storage, and the plan to distribute the supplies to staff and guests.

9. What's the plan for on-site food and beverage?
Regarding FOH guests, your partners should provide a clear guide to what guests can and cannot do. For example, if the guests can eat and drink anything they like, perhaps there needs to be a designated eating/drinking location. For BOH personnel, there should be similar considerations. Your partner should provide a designated eating area, a break schedule for meals, plans for catering or food delivery and distribution, and any specific rules around snacks and coffee outside of the full meals. Additionally, staff should not be allowed to leave the site for meals.

10. What records are you gathering during the event and keeping after the event?
There are several records that your partner will need to gather throughout the event including COVID-19 incident reports, cleaning logs, and staff/audience feedback. On top of that, there are also a number of records that will need to be created in the planning process, many of which are mentioned in the above questions.

Almost as important, make sure your partner has a plan to avoid creating medical records that you will be in charge of keeping following the event. You have enough on your plate – you don't want to have to deal with health-related privacy rules on top of that.