Q: Do you have information about the restriction and measures due to the corona virus? What are the current regulations concerning international travel and concerning the holding of events?

A: A check if participants arrive from risk areas/high incidence areas/viral variant areas is provided by the entry regulations of the Austrian government at the time of the conference. This may mean that registered participants can only attend online.

Since regulations keep changing we kindly ask you to look at this page of the Austrian Government which is kept up-to-date:

https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/en/themen/coronavirus_in_oesterreich/pre-travel-clearance.html

The conference will take place at the Technical University of Graz which offers information on regulations to comply with the current coronavirus situation in English and German here:

https://www.tugraz.at/icoe/coronavirus/home/

As of 18.6.2021 FFP2 masks must be worn on all public areas in the buildings of Graz University of Technology as well as in office and work rooms and outdoors, if the safety distance of two meters cannot be maintained.

Currently only persons who pose a low epidemiological risk are allowed to attend events like the ERSCP. Those persons are defined by the Austrian government as those who are either vaccinated or tested or have already recovered from a Covid infection and can show a certificate of segregation or a physician’s confirmation of an infection confirmed by molecular biology. Evidence of neutralizing antibodies counts for 90 days from the time of testing.

Different validity periods are established for tests depending on their reliability:

    – PCR tests are valid for 72 hours from sample collection.

    – Antigen tests from an authorized site are valid for 48 hours from sample collection.

    – Self-tests recorded in an official state data processing system are valid for 24 hours.

    – Point-of-sale testing is for a one-time entry into sports venues, business premises, restaurants, hotels or an event.

Furthermore participation in the conference is only possible if:

– the participant does not feel ill and there are no symptoms that could indicate a possible infection with the coronavirus (fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of sense of smell or taste),

– the participant didn’t visit a risk area/virus variant area according to the RKI (https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete_neu.html/) within the last 14 days before the start of the conference,

– the participant isn’t a resident of a risk area/virus variant area according to RKI,

– the participant didn’t have contact with a Corona-positive-tested person or a suspected case within the last 14 days before the start of the conference,

– if the Corona warning app is used: no risk encounter has taken place and the traffic light is not red at the time of the conference and

– there is no officially ordered quarantine at the time of the conference.

Food and beverages will either be handed out or if there is a buffet those serving themselves must wear a mask and disinfect their hands each time immediately before using the buffet. There will not be shared beverage bottles or carafes. Disinfectants will be offered.

As we indicated some of these current regulations are subject to change. There will be signs informing about the hygiene rules on site and all other regulations. Furthermore, currently a Covid prevention concept needs to be presented and an authorized person has to controll compliance with the rules, ventilation behaviour, etc.

If the situations worsens running directions or other measures might be ordered. If the situation improves the rules might be less or different from now.

 

Q: What happens if I’m not allowed to travel due to the Covid situation?

A: If due to the Corona virus a personal attendance should be prohibited by law (e.g. if travelling to Austria is not permitted for residents of the country of the attendee at the time of the conference) the form of participation will be changed from ‘regular attendance’ to ‘online attendance’. Since erscp2021 will not have the technical resources to stream the whole conference a part of the conference fee will be reimboursed.

 

Q: Do I have to register for the sessions I want to attend AND additionally for the whole conference?

A:  No, if you register for the conference you only need to choose the sessions that you want to attend additionally to the conference. You can register for the conference here: https://www.conftool.net/erscp2021/