OLAM Covid-19 Policy for In-Person Networking Events

The health and safety of OLAM’s community members and event participants is our top priority. In planning our in-person events worldwide, we will monitor and abide by local COVID-19 guidelines in each event location, as a commitment to prevent the spread of the virus. OLAM reserves the right to make any necessary changes until the day of the event.

Only fully vaccinated people will be allowed to attend in-person events. 

‘Fully vaccinated’ refers to those who have received at least two doses (or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) and are at least 2 weeks after their final dose at the time of the event. In countries where a booster vaccine is available, such as Israel, fully vaccinated includes the additional dose. OLAM reserves the right to deny participation for any person who cannot show proof of vaccination. Anyone with a medical exemption for a vaccine may present their confirmed exemption in replacement of a vaccination card.

Prior to the event:

• By attending the in-person event, participants affirm that:

  • they have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days

  • they have not been exposed to anyone nor experienced any symptoms associated with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

  • they are fully vaccinated (participants may be asked to upload proof of vaccination)

  • they will adhere to all masking protocols in place.

During the event:

• We will follow local guidelines about indoor capacity numbers

• Participants will be asked to wear masks, except for when actively eating or drinking

• Windows will be kept open, wherever possible

After the event:

• We request that any event participant (or member of their household) who has tested positive for COVID-19, or has associated symptoms, within 14 days of the event, will inform Yael Shapira, OLAM’s Director of Network Engagement and Programs, by emailing yael@olamtogether.org. We will inform all other participants that they may have been exposed to the virus, and we will do so anonymously - without mentioning any names of participants.

Variables that may change the policy:

• Availability of and access to booster vaccines

• Local guidelines about number of people who are allowed to gather indoors

• New variants of COVID-19 and rates of infection.

• Comfort levels of OLAM staff and local host committee members

• Recommendations of OLAM’s medical advisors

 

We encourage participants to make their own decisions according to their own personal comfort level.

For any questions about this policy, please email yael@olamtogether.org.

While OLAM chose to organize in-person networking events in cities in which there is free and widely available access to Covid vaccines, we acknowledge that the majority of the world's population does not have such access and cannot gather safely at this time. We are committed to advocating for increased vaccine and testing access in the Global South, through partnering with global initiatives that make access more equitable. For more information on OLAM's work on this front, visit www.olamtogether.org.