Guardup Asia
Sponsored Article by Guardup Asia
We are fast approaching the end of 2020 – a year that has wreaked havoc across the globe and has decimated many industries and businesses. One of the most severely affected has been the live events sector, which by nature, involves gathering people together to share expertise, insights, products, and services whilst also offering forms of interaction and entertainment.
It was obvious in light of an unprecedented global virus pandemic that activities revolving around public gatherings would be curtailed, and events of any nature were first to feel the impact of the first wave of defense strategies implemented by global governments.
As such, the events industry in Singapore (as well as globally) has been forced into hibernation with Government and health bodies desperately trying to tackle rates of infection and heightened wariness of new clusters developing.
Here in Singapore, we are blessed with stringent and proactive Government mandates that have helped curb the spread of COVID-19 which include mandatory mask-wearing in public, and gatherings of no more than 5 people in homes or public settings. This has resulted in very few instances of community infections which is a testament to Singapore’s vigilance.
However, there is an intrinsic cautious approach to any relaxation of safety measures despite the extremely low recorded numbers of community cases over the last few months.
That being said, there are obvious signs that trade events are recognized as an important element of Singapore’s reputation for being the most important business hub of Asia, and as a result, there have been several “pilot” events that have been authorized so that newly implemented Safe Management Measures can be stress-tested, to gradually reopen the events sector. The mantra from SG Gov is to continue the journey of safe re-opening towards Phase Three with several conditions and enablers in place.
- The first is to keep group sizes small – limiting the number of contacts that we have slows down the rate of virus transmission and reduces the risk of super-spreading events.
- Second is safe distancing – no intermingling between individuals and groups remains a key measure in reducing the risk of spread.
- Thirdly is a social responsibility – mask-wearing and personal hygiene protect us and others from COVID-19.
So what does that mean for the events and health and safety sectors?
These event pilots will enable the Ministry of Health (MOH) to trial pre-event testing processes to identify different models that can be implemented more widely and allow more large-scale or higher-risk events to resume. Events across different settings such as business-to-business events, wedding receptions, live performances, and sports events will be selected for a trial to test different operational workflows for pre-event testing.
So what does the new normal look like for the events sector? Well, certain factors need to be taken into consideration, such as:
- Can we go virtual?
- Is it possible to mix in-person and virtual?
- What Safe Management Measures are necessary to run a traditional event?
These questions for event organizers are new, and puzzling at best. There is no clear directive on how to pivot business dynamics and there are no guaranteed solutions, so as an industry we need to be making clear and decisive decisions that will result in positive outcomes.
Strategies for safe events will now include measures such as:
- Antigen Rapid Testing (ART) for delegates
- Temperature screening upon entry
- Reduced capacities / increased virtual attendance
- Physical screens at locations such as registration, exhibition, conference, and communal areas
- Safe distancing measures such as diarised tours and conversations
GuardUp can offer a variety of solutions in this area, catering for physical screens as well as the most advanced temperature screening and hand sanitizing solutions for large scale events.
Our screening solutions have been most recently employed by the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) at their recent hybrid event staged on Sentosa. Physical screens are a proven barrier between individuals and offer the best virus transmission protection available for public settings, whilst also offering peace of mind to both attendees and organizers.
The new normal is very different from what we are used to, but we are here to support your event as we navigate these unprecedented times.
GuardUp Office protection Screens are distributed in Singapore by Amber & Green Pte Ltd. Please contact us at or and we’ll be happy to visit your premises for a site survey and to submit a no-obligation quotation to help safeguard your office.
