To implement the spirit of the Guiding Opinions of the State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism on Regular COVID-19 Prevention and Control, and in accordance with the city's unified epidemic prevention arrangements, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce convened a special symposium at 2:00 p.m. on May 18 to coordinate epidemic prevention and control and the resumption of work and exhibitions in the city's convention and exhibition industry. Participants included the commission, the municipal public security authority, the municipal health commission, district commerce authorities, the Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Industries Association, the Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Promotion Center, major exhibition venues and some exhibition organizers.
The meeting was chaired by Zhang Guohua, chief economist of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, and focused on coordinating epidemic prevention and control as well as the resumption of work and exhibitions in the city. The meeting reached the following points:
1. Chief Economist Zhang Guohua put forward three requirements for prevention and exhibition resumption:
1) Unify understanding and coordinate prevention work with exhibition resumption. Prevention work must be comprehensive, and prevention plans must be well prepared.
2) Take the overall situation into account and strengthen guidance. District commerce commissions should strengthen on-site supervision and inspection, while organizers and venues should report proactively and implement one plan for each exhibition. The association was asked to prepare a reference version. Appointment systems, real-name registration and crowd diversion must be effectively implemented. Exhibitions that do not meet prevention requirements may not be held.
3) Exhibition resumption must be orderly and safe. During epidemic prevention, there is no such thing as a small exhibition. Organizers must fulfill their main responsibilities in accordance with the Shanghai exhibition industry prevention guidelines. Prevention work must leave no loopholes, blind spots or dead corners. The city must prevent domestic rebound and imported cases. Venue operators should properly carry out disinfection work.
2. Li Lei, director of the convention and exhibition division of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, required all exhibition venues and organizers to conscientiously implement the Shanghai Exhibition Industry COVID-19 Prevention and Control Guidelines and to further refine their prevention work according to their own circumstances and the development of the epidemic.
3. Sang Jingmin, president of the Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Industries Association, thanked the commission, the public security authority, the health commission and other government departments for their major efforts to support the city's exhibition industry in resuming work and exhibitions, and explained the Shanghai Exhibition Industry COVID-19 Prevention and Control Guidelines to the participants.
4. The municipal health commission required exhibition venues to disinfect key areas, disinfect air-conditioning equipment and ensure fresh-air ventilation inside venues. During exhibitions, organizers should complete information registration and temperature checks, and all participants were advised to wear masks. If needed, the health commission can organize epidemic-prevention training for exhibition-related personnel.
5. The municipal public security authority required that all exhibition activities still apply for approval 20 days in advance. All exhibitors and staff members must complete real-name registration, while visitors should make online appointments in advance and attend at staggered times.
6. Exhibition venues and organizers have already been carrying out various preliminary epidemic-prevention tasks for resumption. Tang Guifa, president of the National Exhibition and Convention Center, and leaders of nine major venues and exhibition organizers said that they would implement the requirements of the Shanghai Exhibition Industry COVID-19 Prevention and Control Guidelines in the next stage. They suggested that government departments provide necessary guidance and support for prevention work, such as requirements for isolation areas and procedures for handling people with high temperatures or fever.
