Health and Safety Protocols in Place for PA Chamber Dinner

As we prepare to host several hundred guests at our 37^th Annual Dinner on October 4^th at the Hershey Lodge, we continue to monitor the ever- changing landscape and adapt event protocols that demonstrate our interest in protecting the health and safety of our staff and guests. We have explored several options with external vendors who specialize in event management in addition to consulting with industry peers and other hosts of large gatherings to determine the best path forward. After an executive evaluation of event technology and logistical challenges, we have updated our position on attendance protocols and believe this is the right course of action moving forward.

Due to the previously mentioned logistical issues, we will not be requiring onsite proof of health status but maintain our desire to protect the health and safety of all those attending and encourage our guests to support those efforts as well. We recommend guests who attend the dinner 1) be vaccinated or if not vaccinated 2) take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event to attend with a negative status. We will also recommend following current CDC guidelines for large group gatherings such as social distancing and wearing masks. Vaccines have proven to be incredibly protective against both hospitalization and death from Covid. As an organization we have strongly supported efforts to encourage those who are able to receive the vaccine to do so.  

In addition to those recommendations, we are limiting attendance to less than fifty percent of venue capacity for our in-person guests and offering a virtual program option for those who choose to not attend live. We ask that you share this information with your invited guests and others for their attendance consideration.

Furthermore, we want to offer guests the peace of mind that we’re keeping their health a top priority. That’s why we’re happy to be partnering with Epistemix – a research firm that specializes in analyzing disease and population data – to ensure that our organization is making informed decisions about the protocols we’ll have in place that evening.

After a thorough analysis of factors including the size of the event venue; the spaces that will be occupied; the number of attendees; up-to-date information on regional vaccination rates; and the protocols the PA Chamber is recommending which are proven to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne illnesses, Epistemix’s modeling has projected a very low risk of transmission. This has helped us proceed with confidence that we are supporting a healthy environment for those who attend our Annual Dinner.

Learn more here