The current COVID-19 pandemic has brought a considerable part of our society to a standstill. As of Sunday, 17th May 2020, COVID-19 has infected more than 4.8 million people worldwide, resulting in over 317,000 deaths. The UK alone has seen over 243,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, 34,600 of which have been fatal.
To combat the spread of this highly contagious, life-threatening disease, and to "flatten the curve", governments from around the world have put social distancing measures in place. People from around the globe, including from the UK, have been advised to stay indoors, work from home, avoid non-essential travel and quarantine themselves if experiencing even the mildest of symptoms.
As a result of these lockdown measures, the majority of events and festivals have been postponed or cancelled, affecting everything from sporting events to music festivals, film releases and more.
But despite these unprecedented times, it's not all doom and gloom for the events industry. In fact, the time to start planning your next event for when lockdown eventually ends is now.
Plan to stay ahead of the competition
When the current lockdown restrictions ease, it's incredibly likely there will be a rush in the events industry. Venues will quickly book up, with a backlog of postponed events dominating the foreseeable calendar. And after limited social interactions, people will want to catch up with their loved ones and make new, meaningful memories at events.
Therefore, it's a good idea to stay ahead of the competition and put an event plan in place for when the Coronavirus pandemic has been resolved. Even if the plans are not set in stone, it's essential to plan ahead.
However, it's highly unlikely the event industry will return to normal straight away. The WHO have published a nine-page document outlining key planning recommendations for event planners amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Event organisers are advised to establish direct links with local and national public health authorities, conduct a risk assessment in accordance with the WHO’s updated technical guidance, and put together an action plan for detecting and monitoring event-related COVID-19 cases. Therefore, you’ll need to adapt your event based on these guidelines.
Temporary and portable event structures can help your event follow government guidelines. For example, several structures can be strategically placed around your indoor or outdoor event to break up large crowds and instil peace of mind in attendees. The enclosed space of event shipping containers allows for the close monitoring of customers.
For more information, or to inquire about a hiring a temporary and portable event structure post-COVID-19, contact The Events Structure on 0161 821 1010.