Am I sorry it won’t be in New York City? Yes. I’ll miss the thrill of my favorite city. I sincerely hope VEE returns to NYC next year because for me, it won’t feel like the true VEE until it’s back in New York. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to mingling again. So Orlando, here I come!
Oh and by the way, I’m presenting an ABO CE course titled “Visual Perception; From Photon to Neuron.” Please sign up and join me for this fun course. We will follow a photon’s journey from its birth on the sun to its contribution to vision. We will see how our visual system forms images. We will explore color-vision and how the brain organizes and interprets information from light to produce visual perception.
Back to VEE, two things give me the confidence to attend—getting vaccinated and the safety protocols in place by Reed. Here are the safety protocols for VEE 2021. Everyone attending Vision Expo East will be required to undergo a temperature screening via a contactless infrared thermometer before entering. Anyone with a temperature above 100.4 degrees will not be permitted entry to Vision Expo East and will be directed as necessary to receive an additional medical assessment. Different colored wristbands are issued each day, so security can confirm each person passed the temperature screening. No individual will be allowed to enter the exhibit hall or meeting rooms without the proper show badge and accompanying colored wristband for the day.
Safety measures include: required face coverings; strict sanitization and cleaning procedures; hand sanitizing stations; temperature screenings for all staff, vendors and exhibitors; layout design and spaces that promote physical distancing; exhibitor guidelines and booth design standards; reduced contact transactions; protective plexiglass barriers at transaction points; and reduced capacity in conference program rooms.
There are other common sense measures recommended, such as not hugging or shaking hands. For me, one of my first stops will be the ZEISS booth to grab a few anti-fog/disinfection wipes. It will be different, but it will be exciting, too. I hope to see many of your masked faces soon. Viva la Expo!
• Deborah Kotob
Pro to Pro Director
[email protected]
