COVID-19 Update

COVID-19 Update

We're accepting physical vaccination cards and photo ID at badge pickup as well. VaxYes digital QR codes simply make the process faster and will keep the lines moving.

Update 12/05/2021

VaxYes visual instructions have been created to assist Tekko 2021 attendees in using and completing the VaxYes online tool.

Update 11/16/2021

Masks will be required . Masks must fully cover your nose and mouth, must securely fit under your chin, and be visible at all times. We ask that all masks please be at least two layers. Due to varying information, there are a few things NOT permitted:

  • Masks with valves, cuts, holes, etc.

  • Bandanas, gaiters, or other wraps that do not fit securely under your chin.

  • Face shields. At the time of this decision, the majority view is that face shields offer less protection due to the particles that escape from the open sides of the shield.

  • Costume masks. For everyone’s safety, masks will need to be visible and easily identified.

If you wear glasses there are some suggestions:

  • Choose a mask that has a tighter fit on the nose. This is often accomplished with a nose wire.

  • Glasses can be worn slightly forward so the nosepiece of the glasses is over the mask.

  • Some have recommended anti-fog wipes.

  • Some have recommended soft tape.

Masks will not be provided . Please bring an appropriate mask for your time on the Tekko floor. We do recommend bringing backups for the weekend as well. We do anticipate some purchasable masks in the Exhibition Hall, but we do not know what sorts of volumes will be present and you will need a mask to be on the floor to get into the Hall.

There will be indoor mask-free seating in designated areas within these locations.

  • Exhibition Hall (Halls B&C)

    • We are expanding the Exhibition Hall space to better account for large traffic.

  • The 2nd floor concourse area along the glass.

  • The 1st floor Hall E (space formerly known as the Underground)

    • We will be staggering the 18+ content originally intended for the Underground throughout the weekend in the existing panel rooms.

Specific details on those locations will be clearly marked on the at-show map.

Vaccination will be required or a negative PCR test dated Monday December 6th, 2021 or later . Yes, we are asking specifically for a PCR test. At the time of this decision rapid tests are showing to be less than 50% accurate in many cases. We do highly recommend that everyone get a vaccination if your medical situation allows.

  • Note: CVS is offering free PCR tests and results are commonly received within 24-48 hours. We spoke with two locations in the Pittsburgh area and they are not seeing results provided later than 72-hours.

Boosters are not required . At the time of this decision eligibility and availability was limited. We do encourage everyone to consider a booster, especially those that are high risk. Here is the CDC view: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html

We will be using digital vaccination tracking . We will be using a digital wallet to verify your vaccination status. Everyone will need to import a verified QR code to their cell phone to expedite the verification process. For those that have tested this process internally, the time spent ranges from 10-30 minutes, however we do ask that everyone complete the process well in advance as the verification can take a few days. Here is detailed information for uploading your vaccination information:

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Thank you for taking the time to help us expedite the verification process. Here are the steps to do so as well as a few tips on how to speed up the process.

  1. Have your digital wallet on your device before you start the process. Apple Wallet is very easy to use. For Android, we recommend WalletPassess. Having this on your device first will prevent you from having to leave the VaxYes website.

  2. Have a picture of your vaccination card and photo id on your device ahead of time. These images cannot exceed 2 MB. The website intends to use your camera to scan the two documents, however, not every camera worked during our testing. Again, having these ready will prevent you from having to leave the VaxYes website should your camera permissions not be compatible.

    1. Note: You can use your phone image editor to reduce the image file size if it exceeds 2 MB. Another way is to just text the image to yourself and save the received image. Most text message image limitations will auto-format the image to a smaller size.

  3. Go to vaxyes.com and click, “get a free vaccine passport”. It will prompt you for some information before asking for the prepared images.

  4. After everything has been submitted, you will receive notification that you have reached “level 1 verification”. You will also receive a message giving you a link to the VaxYes dashboard.

  5. The next step is merely to wait until you receive the, “level 2 notification”. We experienced very different time frames for the, “level 2 notification”. For some it took just a few minutes. Some testers did have to wait before they received their QR code in the VaxYes dashboard.

  6. Once you have you get the notification that your QR code is available in the VaxYes Dashboard, merely login to the dashboard and click the, “add to apple wallet” button.

    1. NOTE: If you are on an Android device there is an extra step:

    2. From the VaxYes dashboard, click the three dots in the top right of your screen and from the pop-out menu select, “Desktop Site”.

    3. After the page reload, you will see the, “add to apple wallet” button. Click it even though you are on an Android device.

  7. The next time you open your wallet, you should see your VaxYes information. If for some reason it has not been populated, click the “Add” button in the wallet.

  8. If you have any issues, please email: VaxYesSupport@pittjcs.org

VaxYes FAQs: https://help.gogetdoc.com/en/

UPDATE 9/29/2021:

It seems there are still some pandemic policy questions regarding Tekko 2021. Our apologies for allowing any misunderstanding. We want to be very clear by saying yes, masks will be required and yes, vaccination OR a negative test within 72 hours of attending will be required.

There are questions still to be answered about how this is managed, so please continue to be patient with us while these details are finalized. At the very least we will be asking for vaccination cards or test result documents, but we are hopeful there is a more efficient and accurate way to facilitate this.

We realize some will be uncomfortable with this, but we do agree with many that it is what is safest for the community. If this causes you to be unable to attend, you can:

◼️ Transfer your ticket to another attendee via our self-service portal .

◼️ Request to have the ticket transferred to July next year through this form .

◼️ Any other requests or concerns contact the registration team directly at registration@pittjcs.org .

Thank you,

PittJCS

Dear Tekko Faithful,

There have been a lot of questions about mask protocols and vaccine requirements for Tekko 2021. Our goal has been to make the most educated decision based upon the most current information. We have received your feedback and would like to thank our community for their continued patience as we determined how to implement the safest path forward. Below is some of the information currently available.

We support and encourage everyone to get the vaccine. State level updates about vaccine protocols are being made every month. In the last week, Pennsylvania released vaccinated vs unvaccinated metrics. This information shows a very strong argument for getting the vaccine and may impact future state decisions. Again, we strongly encourage you to get it if you have not. As far as required vaccination goes, we are finding it challenging to implement such a requirement. We have been and are still vetting services that are able to track and verify vaccination and testing status. However, the options we have seen so far are expensive (i.e. $10,000+), only apply to those 18 and over, and/or require multiple forms of ID, limiting the scope for implementation. We are very open to suggestions if anyone has worked with a better solution.

Masks will be required regardless of vaccination status. This was always our intention, however, we are working to provide more complete information. Our venue offers ceiling height and ventilation that may provide some limited mask-free areas. We just received an updated 40-page document from our venue, detailing the information that will allow us to finalize these decisions. Please give us some time to digest this updated information and determine how this information will impact our layout.

We very much appreciate the patience many have shown. We truly cannot thank you all enough for your continued support. If you have specific concerns, please email board@pittjcs.org .

Thank you,

PittJCS