“CES will be in person in Las Vegas in January 2022, and we will require all attendees to be fully vaccinated.”
That’s according to Gary Shapiro, president/CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, who said organizers are also considering requiring proof of an antibody test.
“We have seen a spike in cases due to the Delta variant, which is severely hurting the unvaccinated population,” Shapiro wrote in a blog post today.
“Yes, there are breakthrough cases for the vaccinated, but many of those have few or no symptoms at all. And of the vaccinated getting the Delta variant, only a tiny percentage are hospitalized.”
“We prioritize the safety and security of CES participants.” Shapiro called it a “major decision” to require vaccinations.
“We are also assessing proof of a positive antibody test as a requirement and will share more details on this later. Importantly, we will continue to follow state and local guidelines and recommendations by the CDC and will announce additional protocols as we get closer to the show.”
Shapiro said that the past 18 months have been “a roller coaster of emotion” for him as a CEO “as I work to lead by example and make decisions that will have positive effects.” He described the difficult decision not to do last year’s event in person and the need to lay off employees last year because of the pandemic.
“We all play a role in stopping the spread — requiring proof of vaccination for CES 2022 is one way we can take responsibility on our part.” He said those who choose not to attend will be able to experience the show online.
In a separate email to the show community, Veronica A. Lancaster, vice president, Standards Programs, said the requirement to provide proof of vaccination will affect all attendees, support staff and exhibitors’ staff.
“CTA decided this based on today’s science which shows that vaccines offer us the best hope for stopping the spread of this pandemic. … While we are still more than five months from CES 2022, we want to communicate this decision early to give you time to plan. CTA is also assessing the acceptance of proof of a positive antibody test as an alternative requirement and will share more details on this later.”
CES has a page with info about health protocols.
