In lieu of more major telecom players departing MWC 2020, the GSMA has announced new restrictions for its attendees to assuage showgoers’ anxiety.
Last week, Amazon, Sony, Ericsson, and Nvidia announced that they’ve retracted their attendance due to worries over the coronavirus outbreak. Earlier, LG pulled their booth from MWC, and ZTE cancelled its press conference. Samsung also said that it would curtail its personnel at the show.
On Sunday, the GSMA released a statement to all attendees announcing additional safeguards against the outbreak, including travel restrictions against people from certain regions. The new measures and restrictions include:
- All travellers from the Hubei province will not be permitted access to the event.
- All travellers who have been in China will need to demonstrate proof they have been outside of China 14 days prior to the event (passport stamp, health certificate).
- Temperature screening will be implemented.
- Attendees will need to self-certify they have not been in contact with anyone infected.
These are in addition to the preventative measures already in place. GSMA announced last week that it would increase medical staff presence, sanitization routines, and hygiene awareness campaigns throughout the show.
Despite the chaos, GSMA maintains that the show would continue and that it’s expecting a turnout of 2,800 exhibitors.
Catalonia Health Minister Alba Vergés explained that the region of Catalonia is not a public health risk zone.
In 2003, Computex, an annual consumer trade show held in Taipei, Taiwan was nearly cancelled due to the SARS outbreak. It was ultimately postponed to September from June due to containment efforts.
More information on the recent coronavirus outbreak can be found through the WHO.