As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available, the country is experiencing an increase in vaccinations and a positive turn as it looks to return to a sense of normalcy. Recently, the Center for Disease Control stated fully vaccinated people who wear a mask and continue to practice social distancing could travel freely across the country.
President Biden also set a new COVID-19 vaccine goal of 200 million shots within his first 100 days in office. On average, more than 3 million shots are being administered every day in the United States. As of Friday, April 2, 100 million people in the United States have received at least one dose of vaccine and over 56 million Americans are fully vaccinated.
Additionally, more states across the country are opening COVID-19 vaccination appointments for all adults. Just this morning, President Biden moved up the date by which all adults will be eligible for the vaccine to April 19. Eligibility currently varies by state and can be viewed in the Kaiser Family Foundation’s vaccine tracker.
Show management and the City of Indianapolis have worked together to make the 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo successful and safe for all attendees. The City of Indianapolis has invested $7 million in convention center upgrades for things like hospital-grade air filtration, touchless doors, Clorox 360 sanitation, hand sanitizer stations and safe concessions and dining areas.
Like so many important moments over this past year, this year’s show will look a little different. Some of the COVID-19 protocols that may change how this year’s show operates include:
- All attendees will be required wear face coverings.
- Daily temperature checks using non-invasive thermal devices will be required to enter the building.
- Enhanced physical cleaning will be a priority with hourly sanitizing of high-traffic areas throughout the show floor and common areas, including doorways, elevators and escalators.
- Show management will require social distancing, promote frequent hand washing, install sanitizing stations throughout the show and provide hand sanitizer to everyone in attendance.
- There will be dedicated entry and exit points, and more access areas to the exhibit halls to spread people more evenly throughout the facility.
- Show registration will employ a touchless badge pickup system with more locations and longer hours to reduce crowding at registration.
- Education sessions will embrace smart, socially-distanced seating.
- All product samples will be individually wrapped for consumption off the show floor.
- Exhibitors will be required to structure their booths to allow for social distancing and bring sanitizing wipes to keep booth surfaces clean.
Additionally, the Indiana Convention Center received accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ and the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) Clean Air Award, which recognizes the implementation of stringent cleaning protocols and best practices for air filtration.
The Sweets & Snacks Expo is right around the corner, and the country continues to move in a positive direction and toward the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more about what to expect at this year’s show, see who is attending and plan your visit, head to SweetsAndSnacks.com.
