Adapting Your Event Health & Safety as the World Re-Emerges From the COVID-19 Pandemic

Unfortunately, Covid-19 is here to stay. While global vaccination programs will certainly mitigate its effects to a large extent, we’ll still be tackling the virus in years to come—but that doesn’t mean that life has to continue to be put on pause.

The United States is gradually beginning to open up again. Only 9 states still require citizens to wear face masks indoors, though this rule does not apply to those who are already fully vaccinated. Full-time telecommuting (aka working from home) is beginning to decline, and life as we once knew it is slowly returning. 

For those working in the events industry, this is particularly welcome news—though challenges still lie ahead. To combat any potential resurgence of Covid-19, it’s crucial that event organizers find ways of hosting large-scale events in a healthy and safe fashion. 

In this blog, we’ll outline the critical areas of focus for event planners that are looking to achieve this goal.

Ventilation

Ventilation—one of the simplest safeguards against Covid-19 and other airborne viruses—also happens to be one of the most effective.

It’s been proven that individuals are 18.7 times more likely to catch Covid-19 indoors than they are outdoors. Of course, you cannot run all events outdoors—especially during cold winter months.

However, you can make sure that your premises are well ventilated with multiple air changes per hour. An air change, which is measured in Cubic Feet per Minute (or CFM) refers to the amount of ventilation that it will take to completely cycle fresh air into a space.  

According to the EPA: “Ensuring proper ventilation with outside air can help reduce the concentration of airborne contaminants, including viruses, indoors. Proper ventilation also reduces surface contamination by removing some virus particles before they can fall out of the air and land on surfaces.”

And if you’re worried about the temperature plummeting then consider implementing heaters—they can also increase your ventilation and go a long way to solving this problem. 

Air cleaners and HVAC filters

While air filters by themselves don’t provide adequate protection from Covid-19, they can be a great tool in your armory if you use them in combination with other methods (such as adequate ventilation rates and fresh air.) 

In short, air cleaners and HVAC filters filter out a large percentage of the pollutants and contaminants within the air that passes through them—this includes particles that contain viruses. 

Portable air cleaners offer the best of both worlds: protection and portability. You can position them throughout your event premises, making sure that they cover all areas. 
For best results, seek out air purifiers that can remove small airborne particles ranging from 0.1-1 microns (um). 

Another option is to introduce a mechanical air purifier into your HVAC unit. This relatively new technology is able to neutralize all viruses, bacteria, mold and odors on contact before collecting the particles in the return air filter. In other words, it can play a crucial role in keeping your space safe and healthy for all event-goers. Aggreko has installed this technology on our event air conditioners, successfully helping our clients get back to work en masse without any hitches.

A smarter approach to event management

As the world re-emerges from mass lockdowns and quarantines, we must devise ways of safely and sustainably returning to life as normal. This is all the more important for event organizers, who must balance the need to make sure attendance is as high as possible while still protecting every single attendee’s health and safety. 

By following the tips listed above, you’ll put yourself in the best possible position to run safe, successful events going forward—no matter how large they are.  

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