Drupa: "No reason to cancel trade fair"

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Messe Düsseldorf has made it plain that drupa, based on current knowledge, will go ahead. Rumours have been swirling that it will be cancelled, so here is the official statement from the organisers.

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To put the Coronavirus threat into perspective, Germany has currently around 20 reported cases. The threat of spreading is real but is can hardly be a 'pandemic' at this stage. In Australia last year, during the 'flu season' over 700 mostly elderly people died. Around 270,000 people were officially declared infected, but authorities admit the true number was much higher. Aged care homes were put into lockdown with no visitors allowed. Certainly Dusseldorf hotels have begun refusing bookings from China and people who have been in China up to 28 days before planned arrival, and Chinese resident exhibitors may not be allowed in, but the measures being taken to control and eventually vaccinate against this virus are massive. Here is drupa's statement:

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Coronavirus: Precautions taken by Messe Düsseldorf

There is currently no reason to postpone or cancel upcoming trade fairs. For the next events, there is an unchanged high level of approval from exhibitors and visitors.

We take the concerns of our customers, guests and partners regarding the coronavirus very seriously. Your safety is always our top priority. As exhibitors and visitors you can expect a high level of hygiene, safety and good medical care at the Düsseldorf trade fair grounds as usual. Messe Düsseldorf is closely monitoring current developments and is in direct contact with the health authorities. All trade fair preparations are proceeding as planned.

According to the World Health Organization, the Robert Koch Institute and the German authorities, the risk of infection with this new pathogen in Germany is currently very low. The medical facilities at the Düsseldorf exhibition centre have the latest information at all times and are well prepared. There are clearly defined procedures for looking after anyone on the premises of the trade fair grounds who suddenly develops symptoms of a serious disease. These procedures were developed and tested at the time of SARS, the Influenza A (H1N1) virus and also EHEC.

Messe Düsseldorf provides its guests, partners and members of staff with hand disinfection dispensers in the toilets, washrooms, in the area in front of the trade fair doctor’s office/out-patient facility as well as at the entrance concourses. Messe Düsseldorf has also shortened the cleaning intervals for toilets and washrooms. Contact surfaces (including door handles, handrails and switches) on doors, lifts, staircases and moving walkways are now cleaned daily. Furthermore, Messe Düsseldorf informs all guests, partners and employees about hygiene and prevention tips made by the Federal Office for Health Education on posters.

Close contact between all the relevant stakeholders ensures that new findings are shared, that information is provided and that available procedures for the trade fair grounds are modified to suit a given situation.

https://www.drupa.com/en/Safety

World Health Organisation Information on Coronavirus