Maize Genetics Meeting COVID-19 Policy

All attendees of the MGM in-person meeting must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend. As defined by the CDC, you are fully vaccinated if it has been 14-days since the second dose of a 2-dose series vaccine (e.g. Pfizer or Moderna) or 14-days after a 1-dose vaccine (e.g Johnson & Johnson's). Only vaccines that are approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) qualify for vaccination. Please click here for the most up-to-date information on vaccine status. Upon registration you will be asked to certify that you have met the vaccination requirements to attend the in-person event. If you are found to have knowingly falsified this information, you will forfeit your membership to the Maize Genetics Cooperation and be expelled from the meeting with no refunds.

Recommendation: If you are eligible for a booster, you are most strongly encouraged to get it at least 2 weeks prior to the meeting. It is likely that the CDC will update their definition of "fully vaccinated" to include booster shots. Please protect our community, including our senior members and anyone with increased risk of severe outcomes, by ensuring your vaccination status is complete.


1. Masks are required at all times during the meeting when in common spaces with the following exceptions: masks may be removed while eating or drinking, but we ask that you try to maintain distance from the next person; speakers will be allowed to remove their masks during their podium presentations. All presentation materials and AV equipment will be sanitized between speakers to limit the spread of disease.
   
Recommendation: All attendees should wear the most protective mask possible such as N95, KN95, or at a minimum surgical masks, while at the MGM to limit the spread of disease.


2. You should not attend the in-person meeting sessions (even if you have already arrived at the meeting) if: you are currently or within the past 10 days experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 that cannot be attributed to known conditions; have been exposed to a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 within the past 10 days; have tested positive for COVID-19 and have not been cleared as non-contagious. We are unable to offer refunds, but you will be able to attend the virtual component of the meeting with your previously purchased in-person meeting registration. If you knowingly attend the meeting and have experienced any of the above, you will forfeit your membership to the Maize Genetics Cooperation and be expelled from the meeting with no refunds.
   
Recommendation: Before boarding your flight or getting in your car to come to the MGM, take a COVID-19 test to ensure that you are not infected. If possible, this should be a PCR-based test, but rapid tests are also acceptable. Bring one or more COVID-19 rapid tests with you to the MGM and test yourself upon arrival and throughout the meeting.


3. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms at the Maize Meeting, please stay in your hotel room, and follow CDC guidance. We are working with the Union Station Hotel to ensure the safety of all in-person attendees. Things you can expect to see are increased spacing between chairs in meal and meeting areas. Hilton has also changed their dining experience to limit the interaction between individuals.