AFCEA Bethesda, will be following all protocol set by the parent organization, AFCEA International. To find out more about what AFCEA International is doing, click here.

We want you to know that your health and safety are our top priorities. We’re working closely with the National Press Club, our vendor partners, and the city government to ensure the safety of everyone in attendance. Here’s what you can expect at this year’s Energy, Infrastructure & Environment (EIE) Summit.

Vaccine Requirement

AFCEA Bethesda, will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative PCR test (within 48 hours) for all participants attending the 1st Annual EIE Summit. 
 
Every guest, staff member, and volunteer will be required to upload proof of vaccination before being admitted into the National Press Club. Instructions for verifying your vaccination status can be found during registration. 
 
You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks (14 days) after you have completed either the second dose in a two-dose series (e.g., Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca) or after a single-dose of the J&J vaccine. You must complete your final vaccine by November 1, 2021, to be considered fully vaccinated for the EIE Summit. 

 

Unvaccinated Individuals 

If you are unvaccinated at the time of registration, you may log back into your registration at any time using this link to upload your vaccination card: Modify Registration.
 
If you are unvaccinated on the day of the EIE Summit, you will need to provide a negative PCR test within the last 48 hours. 
 
Refusal to provide either document will result in your removal from the venue and forfeiture of your registration fee. 

 

Masks

AFCEA Bethesda and the EIE Summit will be following any/all mask mandates by the local jurisdiction. As of July 27, 2021, the District of Columbia is requiring all persons wear masks indoors when not actively eating or drinking. 
 
AFCEA Bethesda will update this page with current mask protocols as we get closer to the EIE Summit 
 
Masks will be provided at the event for all attendees who require them. 

 

Other Safety Measures 

Hand sanitizer will be provided, and additional cleaning measures will be taken prior to the event.  
 
Food and drink will be served with your health and safety in mind. 
 
We will have additional signage on-site informing guests of safety measures taken. 

CDC:

Event planners might choose to verify COVID-19 vaccination status at the time of ticket sales or entry to an event. Organizers must obey all applicable local, state, tribal, and territorial laws, regulations, and rules as they consider whether to confirm COVID-19 vaccination status. If organizers choose to require COVID-19 vaccination for participation in an event, they should do so in a manner that is respectful to staff and attendees and consistent with applicable privacy laws and standards.

The federal government does not require vaccination for people. Additionally, CDC does not monitor vaccination records. State or other applicable laws determine whether organizers can require COVID-19 vaccination.

HIPAA applies only to covered entities (health care providers, health care plans) that conduct or engage in certain electronic transactions. HIPAA ensures a patient’s health information is properly protected while allowing the flow of health information needed to provide high-quality care and to protect public well-being. Most event organizers would not fall into the category of a covered entity as defined under the statute. For this reason, HIPAA would not apply to most event organizers attempting to verify an individual’s vaccination status. Event organizers with questions regarding the application of HIPAA and/or other potentially applicable privacy laws to vaccination verification activities should consult with legal counsel prior to taking such actions.

 

Washington, DC:

Everyone (including fully vaccinated people) must wear masks:

• UPDATE: In indoor public settings
  • This includes any business or establishment open to members of the public (including but not limited to grocery stores, restaurants, and bars when not eating or drinking)

• Places of worship, gyms, office buildings, libraries, indoor entertainment venues, and common areas of apartment or condominium complexes.
• In special settings such as school, child care, health care, correctional, and homeless shelter settings
• When on public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States (on an airplane, train, bus, taxi, ride-share vehicle, or at a transportation hub such as an airport or train station). Note: It is not necessary for fully vaccinated people to wear masks in outdoor areas of a transportation conveyance (such as the open deck of a ferry, or the open-air upper deck of a double-decker bus.)

• When required to per workplace or establishment policies

A mask is not required during the following activities/situations when a person is:

• In indoor gatherings at private residences
• Actively eating or drinking
• Actively playing or training for indoor sports in a collegiate or professional sports setting
• In the water at a swimming pool or aquatic facility
• Alone in an enclosed office that no one else is permitted to enter
• Giving a speech for broadcast or an audience, provided no one is within six feet of the speaker
• Speaking to or translating for a deaf or hard of hearing person required to use equipment for a job that precludes the wearing of a mask and the person is wearing or using that equipment, or when wearing a mask would endanger public safety
• Lawfully asked to remove their mask for facial recognition purposes