The Aircraft Electronics Association intends to proceed with the 63rd annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show as planned, March 24-27, 2020, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
“The AEA’s highest priority is the safety and security of all attendees and exhibitors at association events,” officials said. “The AEA is continuing to monitor the guidance from government and local authorities in relation to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).”
“We encourage attendees to continue to plan to attend the convention if they feel well,” officials continued. “However, we do ask all attendees to monitor their condition prior to travel, as well as review the CDC travel guidelines.”
The emergency operations guidelines at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center are extensive, and the facility’s emergency preparedness plans are thorough, AEA officials noted.
“Association staff is working closely with the resort and convention center to ensure all necessary precautions are being taken to ensure the health and well-being of attendees remain the top priority.”
The Gaylord Opryland has on-site medical personnel and are providing extra cleaning crews. Hand sanitizer also will be available on-site, AEA officials report.
For attendees, the best advice is to continue to practice everyday preventative actions and consider an alternative to a handshake greeting. Other safety precautions:
- Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily.
Convention Notes
AEA officials report that convention registrations are still coming in on a daily basis. In addition, hotel reservations for the AEA room block at the Gaylord Opryland Resort are near full capacity.
All speakers and presenters are confirmed and will be in attendance as planned.
The AEA has not received any attendee registrations from China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan or Hong Kong, which are the countries at higher risk for COVID-19.
While the city of Nashville is still recovering from the devastating tornadoes on March 3, the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center did not suffer any storm damage. As previously announced, a portion of the proceeds generated by the AEA Silent Auction will be donated to the disaster relief effort.