COVID-19 Health & Safety Information
PLA 2022 Conference COVID-19 Requirements, Safety Measures, and Travel Information
The Public Library Association’s priority in all meetings and events decisions is the safety and welfare of our attendees, exhibitors, partners, and team. As infections and hospitalizations driven by the Omicron variant have recently declined, PLA understands that safety requirements from the State of Oregon and others are changing. To set and maintain expectations for conference attendees in advance of travel, the PLA 2022 requirements for masking and vaccination/negative test outlined below will remain in effect during the conference, even if the state mandate is lifted.
PLA is continuously monitoring news and science around COVID-19 and its variants and will update plans and protocols as needed. Bookmark this page for the most current information.
Requirements
PLA is partnering with Safe Expo to manage key elements of the onsite health and safety plan, including COVID-19 vaccination credentialing and testing.
Vaccination/Negative Test
To enter the OCC and participate in the PLA 2022 Conference, you must provide one of the following:
- Physical vaccination card, presented to Safe Expo staff onsite
- A negative COVID-19 PCR or Rapid test administered within 72 hours of your first day of the event, presented to Safe Expo staff onsite. Testing reports must come from an official medical facility, clinic, or pharmacy. Self at-home tests are not permitted.
Vaccination credentialing will be managed by Safe Expo during the PLA 2022 conference. Negative COVID-19 tests will have to be verified on-site.
If you uploaded your proof of vaccination in advance, then your will be a PDF attachment with a purple screen. You must show the vaccination verification (either printed or on your phone/tablet) to the Safe Expo team. Once vaccination has been verified, Safe Expo will provide you with a sticker to put on your PLA Conference badge. Once verification has been received, you will not need to provide proof of vaccination or testing again.
Please email diane@safeexpo.org with any technical issues or other issues with the upload process.
For a list of acceptable vaccines and full vaccination requirements, visit the CDC website.
Masking
To set and maintain expectations for conference attendees in advance of travel, masking will be enforced for PLA events.
Recommendations
Before traveling to Portland, PLA strongly encourages you to:
- Get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including a booster shot.
- Get the flu shot.
- Test for COVID-19 prior to traveling and 24-hours after arrival (regardless of vaccination status).
- If you need a last-minute test, the OCC has partnered with Curative, an essential health services provider, to offer both PCR and rapid antigen COVID-19 testing available via a mobile testing van conveniently located outside the OCC, at no cost. For more information about tests, appointments, and service hours, visit the OCC’s Testing Site page. The mobile testing van is open from Monday through Saturday, from 9:00 AM–2:30 PM Pacific. Walk-ups are welcome, but make an appointment by visiting the Curative website or calling 888-702-9042 to minimalize wait time.
Convention Center Safety Measures
- PLA will be the only event happening at the OCC during the week of March 21, 2022.
- PLA is providing the same amount of programming and events as a typical PLA Conference, but we’re planning more space for attendees in program rooms, auditoriums, the Exhibits Hall, and hallways and communal spaces.
- Socially-distanced seating will be in place wherever possible.
- The OCC is an accredited GBAC STAR Facility. This accreditation means that a facility has:
- Established and maintained a cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention program to minimize risks associated with infectious agents like the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
- The proper cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and work practices in place to combat biohazards and infectious disease.
- Highly informed cleaning professionals who are trained for outbreak and infectious disease preparation and response.
- Attendees can expect available hand sanitizing stations throughout the venue, as well as more frequent and enhanced cleaning efforts throughout the convention center, especially in “high-use areas,” including high-traffic areas, high-touch surfaces (e.g., door handles), commonly used devices and equipment by guests (mobility scooters, wheelchairs, self-service business center, Mamava Pods, ATM’s, parking pay stations), and shared equipment/spaces (e.g., printers, elevators).
- Visit the OCC’s COVID-19 Information page for the most up-to-date information about its safety measures.
Travel Information
Before You Travel
Have you completed a self-assessment and are you symptom-free? Use the CDC to help self-assess symptoms, make decisions, and seek appropriate medical care. Check your flight and travel arrangements. Be mindful of current travel restrictions in place to and from your destination, as well as selected airline policies.
Airline Information
American
Delta
JetBlue
Southwest
United
Ride Share Information
Uber
Lyft
Local Transportation
TriMet – MAX Light Rail, WES Commuter Rail, Bus
Hotel Information
Still to come.
General COVID-19 Information
Due to the changing nature of the pandemic, attendance requirements may change prior to the event. PLA is committed to alerting all attendees of any changes, but please continue to visit this page for the latest information. Questions? Please contact pla@ala.org.
This page was last updated on March 3, 2022.
