We have been reporting about different companies opting out of making an in-person appearance at CES this week. And a few days before the event kicks off, the organizer Consumer Technology Association announced that CES 2022 will now close a day early, meaning it'll run from January 5 to 7. The move is "an additional safety measure to the current health protocols that have been put in place." As usual, January 3 and 4 are the media-only days for the event, when press conferences and keynotes will happen.
Some of the protocols for the event include masks and proof of vaccination. The CTA also recently announced it would provide Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 tests at badge pickup. Attendees are asked to complete a rapid test 24 hours before entering a CES venue. Those who experience symptoms while at the venues are advised to report to a first aid station for testing. Attendees must also provide PCR tests by their destination before departure from Las Vegas.
As a part of this announcement, CTA explained over 2,200 companies are still going to showcase their products in Vegas, adding that 143 more joined in the last couple of weeks.
CTA CEO Gary Shapiro defended the decision to hold the in-person event, saying that one of the reasons the organization hasn't cancelled the event is the smaller companies who use it as a potential springboard to market/introduce their products.
"We are mindful of concerns that CES could be an event where the omicron variant can spread," Shapiro wrote in an op-ed for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "We are leading the way in requiring masks and vaccines, recommending testing and offering free tests. We respect that some do not want to take the risk involved in travel to Las Vegas, even in the vaccinated bubble of CES. But with significant safety measures and fewer people, there is plenty of space for attendees to socially distance."
Source: Engadget