The coronavirus outbreak continues to spread in the United States, with 760 cases now reported across 34 states and Washington D.C. Twenty-seven people have died: 23 in Washington state, two in Florida and two in California. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reminded people not to panic and that it is the elderly and people with underlying health conditions who are most vulnerable to the virus.
"It's fair to say that as the trajectory of the outbreak continues, many people in the United States will at some point in time, either this year or next, be exposed to this virus and there's a good chance many will become sick," said Nancy Messonnier, M.D., director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, during a press call on March 9. "But based on what we know about this virus, we do not expect most people to develop serious illness."
Messonnier cited a study from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which analyzed more than 72,000 COVID-19 patients. The findings showed that 80 percent of cases were mild and only 2 percent of cases included people younger than 19.
"This seems to be a disease that affects adults and most seriously, older adults," said Messonnier. "Starting at age 60, there is an increase in risk of disease and the risk increases with age. The highest risk of serious illness and death is in people older than 80 years and people with serious long-term health conditions like diabetes and lung disease."
For vulnerable populations, the CDC released a series of recommendations. This includes includes washing your hands on a frequent basis; stocking up on routine medications, household items and groceries; avoiding crowds, cruises and nonessential travel or long-haul flights; and not touching surfaces in highly populated places.
What does this mean for events? Northstar Meetings Group legal columnist Jonathan Howe, founder and senior partner of the Chicago and Washington, D.C., law firm of Howe & Hutton Ltd., encouraged meeting planners to remain vigilant, regularly monitor the situation and prepare for the worst -- even though it may not be necessary.
"We are seeing a number of events that are still going forward even if they see a reduction in attendees," said Howe. "I have a number of clients who are going through a daily review on if they're going to go through with the event, what the travel restrictions are, etc. It's going to be a lot of watchful waiting and a lot of keeping the lines of communication wide open."
Howe recommends that planners pay particular attention to their attendee demographics when weighing whether to cancel or postpone. Events with audiences that are older and more susceptible to coronavirus might need to be rescheduled. Planners may also want to consider sending out surveys that ask registered guests if they are still planning to attend and what, if anything, would cause them to cancel.
"Every day is going to be a challenge and you need to stay on top of it," said Howe. "It's too late to plan for the crisis when the crisis occurs. You need to have your plans in place now."
