AMSTERDAM—IBC has welcomed news that the Dutch government is relaxing its COVID-19 social distancing measures and removing quarantine rules for fully vaccinated travelers. IBC2021 will be held at The RAI in Amsterdam, Dec. 3-6.
Beginning Sept. 22, fully vaccinated international visitors from areas designated as high-risk will no longer be required to quarantine when they arrive in The Netherlands, according to the new rules.
No longer will the social distancing rule of 1.5 meters nor the mask mandate for those inside be enforced. Rather a coronavirus access pass will be used more widely. To receive the pass to gain access to a venue, people must first demonstrate proof of vaccination against COVID-19, recovery from an infection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus or a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of use.
For IBC2021 attendees, the rule change may be most important to those coming from outside the EU COVID travel block. While those within the block—some 70% of attendees—already had easy access to the event, lifting the international quarantine rules means those outside the block have a far easier path to admission, organizers said.
“It’s time to get excited about coming together again,” says IBC CEO Michael Crimp. “We have been anticipating this announcement from the Dutch government for a while, and the whole IBC team is buzzing at the opportunities the relaxing of these COVID-19 measures will bring. That is not to say we can relax our guard—we continue to be fully focused on delivering a safe and valuable experience. But with these new measures, we can stage an event as close to ‘business as usual’ as we could hope for in the current environment.”
IBC has published updated exhibition protocols on its website that reflect the new rules.
News of the rule change comes in the same week that organizers of the 2021 NAB Show cancelled their event due to safety concerns.
Registration for IBC is available online as is hotel information.
