NEW HEALTH REGULATIONS POSE COMPLICATIONS
Finally, we are slowly moving towards a post-pandemic state in our industry. The cancellation of the state of disaster in South Africa brought great relief; with it came a potential new set of rules our sector must navigate yet again.
The proposed amendments to the Health Regulations pose several complications for large events and exhibitions and directly impact the exhibitor and visitor participation. Everyone in our industry must understand the impact of these regulations and assess their potential impact on their exhibitions and venues.
The amended regulations state that gatherings can be held in the following formats. For events with less than 1000 people per venue indoor (note that per venue refers to a building and not necessarily an entire convention centre or events space) or 2000 people outdoor. These events require the organiser to indicate how visitor numbers will be monitored per area but do not require all visitors to be vaccinated or show negative COVID tests.
For events with more than 1000 people indoors, 50% of venue capacity restrictions must be maintained. The event organiser must ensure that all spaces used in the venue are utilised to only 50% of its capacity. In addition, each visitor, exhibitor, and staff member attending or working at the show must have proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID test. The standard COVID protocols for sanitising and masks also still apply.
Note that for events with less than 1000 visitors, depending on the venue’s configuration, the event may or may not receive approval if there is an overlapping flow of traffic between the in and outdoor spaces. Meaning that should your indoor space flow into the outdoor space, the outdoor space may not be approved separately for an additional 2000 visitors.
When applying for the 50% venue capacity, organisers are required to present their COVID protocol plans, indicating checkpoints on floorplans and how the checks will be monitored, to obtain approval before hosting the exhibition or event. Organisers are also required to demonstrate the control measures to ensure adherence to the 50% occupancy.
Whilst we understand that we must support the vaccination drive and limit the spread of the virus as an industry, implementing these regulations is complicated. Once the exhibition is approved, we face the next challenge of the lack of support from the public. Due to the poor understanding of how the regulations affect the exhibition industry, attendees perceive the organisers as forcing vaccinations and discriminating against people who are not vaccinated. Adding to the financial considerations is the additional cost incurred by a negative COVID test, which often exceeds the ticket price.
Overall, the regulations have multiple implications for the industry, from risk to brand image, increased and more intense community management, shrinking exhibitor and visitor numbers, amongst a multitude of other challenges.
The Department of Health Public has extended the deadline for public comment on the intended regulations to the 5th of July 2022; everyone in our industry must submit their objections through your associations and or on behalf of your company. Comments can be emailed to