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COVID-19 Guidance

For face to face events

The IPA is committed to the health, safety, and well-being of everyone who attends an IPA face to face event. We continuously monitor:

  • advice, instructions, and guidance given by the Chief Medical Officer and UK Governments; and
  • hospitality, meetings, and event sector best practiceto re-evaluate and update our approach as outlined below.

Updates and changes in advice and best practice may amend the procedures and measures that the IPA employs to protect attendees and reduce the risk of transmission. Where changes are made to the procedures below, the IPA will advise all registered attendees, speakers, sponsors, staff, and event contractors as soon as possible.


We will review these procedures and measures at regular intervals to ensure that they remain fit for purpose, in line with Government guidelines and event sector best practice.


We are taking the following actions to manage the risk of COVID-19 transmission:

  1. Working with venues to understand how each implement measures to decrease risk of transmission. For example:
    • Providing access to hand washing stations with soap and water or provide hand sanitizer.
    • Paying attention to factors like ventilation and how many attendees can be accommodated while properly adhering to recommended distancing guidelines.
    • Determining event capacity based on the size and floorplan of the venue.
    • Determining the venue procedures for cleaning commonly touched surfaces within the event spaces.
    • Determining how a venue applies COVID-19 measures to staff
  2. Require attendees to stay home if they have any COVID-19 symptoms. Additionally, require attendees to refrain from coming if they have been recently diagnosed with COVID-19, have recently had direct contact with an individual diagnosed with or suspected to have COVID-19, or are displaying symptoms commonly associated with COVID-19.
  3. Maintain up-to-date contact information to communicate changing information about COVID.

Requirements for attendees at an IPA face to face event:

As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, it is important that attendees exercise common sense and manage risks to protect themselves and others around them.

We strongly encourage all attendees to follow the requirements below. Failure to follow these may result in attendees being unable to enter the event.

  1. Attendees showing the following Covid-19 symptoms prior to attending the event will be asked NOT to attend the event. These symptoms include a new continuous cough, high temperature and/or a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia).
  2. All attendees will be required to fully register for the event providing all required registration details prior to the event. This is important to enable The IPA to understand and manage all risks of transmission using the measures below.
  3. To help protect attendees themselves and others, all attendees are requested use the NHS COVID Pass for IPA face-to-face events. It is recommended you register and use the NHS App at least two weeks before your event.
  4. An NHS COVID Pass shows your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination details or test results. This is your COVID-19 status. To get an NHS COVID pass, you need one of the following
    • 2 doses of the Moderna, AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine, or 1 dose of the Janssen vaccine. You are eligible 2 weeks after your 2nd dose (Moderna, AstraZeneca and Pfizer), or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine (Janssen).
    • A negative PCR test or lateral flow test within the past 48 hours. If you did a lateral flow test at home, you must report your test result on GOV.UK (see below for a step-by-step guide on this option).
    • A positive PCR test within the past 6 months. This will mean you have natural immunity. You are eligible after you’ve finished self-isolating and up to 180 days after taking the test.

The NHS COVID Pass is available via the NHS App. You can download the NHS App from the App Store or Google Play Store. This is NOT the same as the NHS Covid 19 test and trace App. You need to be registered with a GP in England to use the NHS App.


Displaying negative test result on the Covid Pass
– Once your negative test result is showing on your App you should do the following:

  • Open the NHS App and log in or log in via the NHS Website.
  • Click ‘Get your NHS COVID Pass’. Click ‘domestic’.
  • Your name and QR Code will be displayed. **This is your NHS COVID Pass. **
  • If you’re using your phone, select “Receive an offline copy by email” this will send an email to your chosen address so you can print on your computer. If you are using your computer, select “Download PDF copy” and print.