COVID Health and Safety Procedures

Attendees are encouraged to get DC's free DC COVID Alert Notice (DC CAN) to help with contact tracing efforts.
DC CAN uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to quickly notify users who have likely been exposed so you can reduce the risk of infection.

Important Requirements:
The health and safety of all Annual Meeting attendees is of utmost important to TRB. Therefore, attendees are required to do the following:

• Be vaccinated. Attendees are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, meaning that at least two weeks have passed since receiving either a one-dose vaccine or the second dose of a two-dose vaccine. There are no exceptions to this requirement. Any vaccine on the World Health Organization’s approved list is acceptable. (TRB also strongly recommends that attendees receive the appropriate COVID vaccination booster, but it is not required.)
  
  
• Show proof of vaccination. Attendees must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination when they arrive onsite, either by displaying a CLEAR Health Pass (recommended), or by providing their vaccination card and photo ID for manual inspection. There are no exceptions to this policy. If you can’t show proof of vaccination, you cannot attend the meeting.
  
  
• Wear your mask. Attendees are required to wear protective masks throughout the meeting, except when actively eating or drinking. In addition, TRB strongly recommends that speakers wear masks while presenting, although they are not required to do so if they are presenting from a lectern that’s at least six feet away from others. For maximum protection, we recommend using an N95 mask, but other masks are acceptable if they cover the nose and mouth, fit snugly against the sides of the face, and are made of 2-3 layers of tightly woven fabric. To be effective, masks must be worn correctly.
  
  
• Register in advance. There will be no onsite registration this year. Attendees must register before arriving onsite. However, there is no deadline for registration, so you can register online any time prior to arriving at the Washington Convention Center.
  
  
• Do not overcrowd rooms. Seating in workshops, lectern sessions and committee meetings is limited, and is on a first-come, first-served basis. To ensure the safety and comfort of all attendees, TRB reserves the right to refuse further admission to any workshop or lectern session that has reached capacity.
  
  
• Stay away if you have symptoms. Please stay away (or leave the venue immediately) if you experience any of the following symptoms of COVID-19: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
  
  
• Abide by the COVID policies: By attending the meeting, you agree to abide by the COVID Health and Safety Policies. 

How TRB and the Venues Are Addressing COVID Safety:
TRB is working with the Washington Convention Center and the Marriott Marquis to provide a safer environment for the meeting:

• Session, workshop, and committee rooms will have looser seating, space between rows has been increased, and more aisles have been added.
  
  
• The exhibit hall has a 30’-wide concourse and cross aisles every 20’ to improve traffic flow. In the poster session hall, all poster boards are eight feet away from each other, for better distancing. 
  
  
• TRB has scheduled one-hour breaks between sessions, workshops, and committee meetings to allow for enhanced cleaning and sanitizing. 
  
  
• The Convention Center has added new cleaning protocols, including treating all surfaces with antimicrobial biostatic surface protection, placing Nano-septic self-cleaning surface products on high-traffic touch points, and using electrostatic sprayers to sanitize function spaces overnight and during the day.
  
  
• The Convention Center has installed a Synexis BioDefense system in the air handlers that supply all meeting rooms, which breaks down pathogens such as bacteria, mold, and viruses, including COVID, in circulating air.
  
  
• The Marriott has increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfection, particularly in areas with high traffic. They also are utilizing enhanced technologies, including electrostatic sprayers with hospital-grade disinfectants, to support their already rigorous cleanliness protocols.
  
  
• Hand sanitation stations will be available throughout both buildings.
  
  

Where You Can Get More Information:  
For more information about current regulations and recommendations regarding COVID, visit these websites:

Testing:
District of Columbia Testing Sites HHS Testing Links CDC Symptom Checker
For information on testing at airports, see the Travel links below.

Government:
Centers for Disease Control
District of Columbia Government 

Meeting Venues:
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Marriott Marquis Washington DC

Travel:
U.S. State Department – International Travel Restrictions
Reagan National Airport
Dulles International Airport
Baltimore Washington International Airport
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro)
Amtrak


Questions / Comments:  
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about COVID, please let us know.