The GSMA is continuing to monitor and assess the potential impact of the Coronavirus on its MWC20 events held annually in Barcelona, Shanghai, and Los Angeles and as well as the Mobile 360 Series of regional conferences. The GSMA confirms that there have been no registration impacts on MWC Barcelona thus far and the upcoming MWC Barcelona event, 24-27 February 2020, will proceed as planned, across all venues at Fira Gran Via, Fira Montjuïc and La Farga L’Hospitalet, including YoMo and Four Years From Now (4YFN). Specifically, for MWC Barcelona 2020, measures are already in place, and updates can be found on www.mwcbarcelona.com/about/news/.
The WHO has agreed that the outbreak now meets the criteria for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and proposes advice to be issued as Temporary Recommendations. The updated WHO advice states that ‘Countries should place particular emphasis on reducing human infection, prevention of secondary transmission and international spread…. The Committee does not recommend any travel or trade restriction based on the current information available.’
The GSMA will:
- Carefully follow and adhere to: the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations, applicable Chinese government recommendations, Spanish health authority recommendations and police/health recommendations and protocols
- Work with Fira de Barcelona to ensure sufficient sanitizing efforts are followed and provide products throughout all venues and implement other activities in line with recommendations from applicable agencies and partners
- Respond to questions from exhibitors and attendees about MWC Barcelona (via GSMA account managers or the Customer Care Team)
Measures we are planning to implement at MWC will include, but not be limited to:
- Increased cleaning and disinfection program across all high-volume touchpoints, e.g. catering areas, surfaces, handrails, WCs, entrances/exits, public touch-screens, etc. along with the use of correct cleaning/sanitizing materials and products
- Increased onsite medical support
- Awareness campaign via online and onsite info-share and signage
- Availability of sanitizing and disinfection materials for public use
- Awareness and training to all staff and associates on standard personal preventative measures, e.g. personal hygiene, frequency of use of sanitizing/disinfection products, etc.
- Advice to exhibitors on implementing effective cleaning and disinfection of stands, offices along with guidance on personal hygiene measures and common preventive behavior
- Public health guidelines and advice communication to Barcelona hotels, public and private transport, restaurants and catering outlets, retail, etc.
We strongly urge exhibitors and attendees to implement appropriate guidelines and protocols as suggested by the WHO and other health authorities to contain and mitigate against any further spread of the virus. Up-to-date WHO advice can be found here: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance and the most recent press release issued by WHO is here: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/30-01-2020-statement-on-the-second-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-outbreak-of-novel-coronavirus-(2019-ncov).
