Past 85th Annual Meeting Updates--COVID 19
Mar 03, 2020
Update: March 10, 2020
The SAA Board appreciates the concerns that have been shared about the spread of COVID-19 and the implications for our upcoming Annual Meeting in Austin. We can assure you that SAA staff are actively communicating with City of Austin officials and our event partners about the latest public health advisories and information available.
At this time, we are planning to continue with the meeting, as the City of Austin is still approving large events on a case-by-case basis and travel restrictions are still at a limited scale. The SAA Board of Directors will meet on Friday to discuss any further actions that may become necessary.
We recognize that this is a difficult time for those who are looking to confirm or alter their travel plans, and we appreciate your patience as we evaluate the options. Above all, we want to ensure a safe and healthy experience for our attendees and the Austin community.
Thank you for your engagement and feedback through this process.
SAA Board of Directors
Update: March 6, 2020
SAA is taking the cancellation of SXSW very seriously. We will be in contact with the City of Austin to determine next steps for the Annual Meeting. We will post updates with relevant information as it is confirmed by local officials.
March 3, 2020
SAA is closely following the news regarding coronavirus and the recommendations released by public health organizations, especially the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We will make every effort to host a successful 85th Annual Meeting that does not put our members, staff, volunteers, guests, or vendors at risk.
We are in close communication with the staff of the Austin Convention Center and the Austin Hilton to ensure that they are taking every precaution to provide a safe meeting environment. Our goal is to be prepared to make sound decisions about the annual meeting based on facts and guidance from the WHO and the CDC.
The Austin Convention Center and Austin Hilton are deploying additional resources to protect attendee safety, including increasing substantially the number of hand-sanitizer stations.
The Board is continuing to gather information with the goal of being prepared to respond appropriately in a rapidly changing situation. We will be issuing updates via the website and email.
