We’ve added a series of additional Health & Safety rules to the 2020 SaaStr Annual. You can review them in more detail here. Note they are more substantially restrictive than other events, perhaps in some cases too restrictive. So please review them.
And if you are sick, have been sick, or have been to China, Korea or Italy in the past 60 days, do not come to SaaStr Annual 2020. You will not be able to enter the venue.
Some of our new rules may create lines at Annual, when we strive to have a “no lines” experience. Our apologies there.
In the end, we believe clear rules are easier to administer and eliminate ambiguity.
First, our new on-site rules are clear and will have no exceptions:
- No Handshakes. We understand that other events “recommend” no handshakes, but we’ve decided to simply have a firm No Handshakes rule at SaaStr Annual. Yes, it may feel a bit strange at first. Yes, you will see tons of No Handshakes signs around. We will all adapt, and it will be fine.
- No Sniffles, and Mandatory Thermal Screening for Fevers. You will not be permitted to enter SaaStr Annual or the San Jose Convention Center if you are sick. or have been sick, or if you have a fever (for any or no reason). In addition, you will be required to certify on-site you have not been sick in the past 14 days. No sniffles, no runny noses, no fevers. We will thermally scan all attendees at the event, and if you register for an elevated temperate, you will not be able to enter the event unless secondary screening shows you do not in fact have a fever. Any attendees with elevated temperates will not be able to enter the venue, without exception. Please do not come this year if you are sick, have been sick, or are warm. If you are sick, or have been sick, just let us know and we will credit you for a pass for 2021 Annual instead.
- Wash, Wash, Wash. You will be required to constantly wash up at Annual. Again, this will not be a suggestion or a recommendation. It will be a requirement. You will be required to wash as you enter the venue, before each session you attend, before you enter the expo, AND before each mentorship session. This may create some lines. Our apologies.
Finally, our policies for travel from and related to China is clear and has no exceptions:
- No attendees from Mainland China, Korea, Italy or Other Level 3 Nations, without any exceptions. We apologize, but we are simply not allowing any attendees from Mainland China or other Level 3 Nations. Since SaaStr.com is blocked in China, we are not huge there. However, we have refunded tickets to the handful of folks initially planning to come from China.
- Attendees with Mainland China, Korea, Italy or Other Level 3 Nation passports will be subject to additional screening. We recognize this is not entirely fair to folks that may hold Mainland China passports but have not been back in a very long time. Nevertheless, to ensure compliance, anyone with a Mainland China passport not coming from China will be subject to additional on-site passport review to ensure they have not visited China in the past 60 days.
- No attendees who have visited Mainland China, Korea, Italy or Other Level 3 Nations in the past 60 days. This may be too long a period and is substantially longer than other events. Nevertheless, to have a clear line without ambiguity, if you have been to Mainland China or other Level 3 Nations in the past 60 days you will not be permitted entry to Annual. There shall be no exceptions.
- Passports will be checked for all international attendees. You must present either a U.S. driver’s license or a valid passport to enter Annual. If you do not have either, you may not enter. Your passport will be reviewed. If it shows any evidence of a visit to China, Korea, Italy or other Level 3 Nations in the past 60 days, you will be denied entrance. When in doubt, you will be denied entrance. All attendees, including U.S. residents, will also be required to certify in writing they have not visited China or other Level 3 Nations in the past 60 days.
- Temperature-screening will be in force. We will have various mechanisms to temperature-screen attendees, including passive scanning of all attendees prior to entry to the venue. If you are not comfortable with temperature screening, do not attend. Temperature screening may result in false-positives resulting in both optional more secondary screening and some individuals being denied entry who register a temperature on both primary and secondary screening. We apologize for that and will have secondary screening by trained medical personnel on-site. If you are denied entry due to temperature, you will be provided a no-cost pass to 2021 Annual.
This is a lot, and more than more events. We will also have other enhanced procedures on site.
Finally, if you are flying in, we strongly recommend registering the day before Annual either at the venue or at the Hilton or Marriot attached. Registration is calmer and simpler the day before.
Our apologies for any inconvenience here and some of them are more than we wish we’d have to do. We really do want you there. But we will err on the side of the simplest solutions to enhanced health and safety. And most importantly, there will be no exceptions.
Again, if you’ve had the sniffles, or been to China — sit out 2020 SaaStr Annual. We’ll see you at the next one. We’ll be there, too.
