Haystack 2022

Event Safety and Code of Conduct

Event Safety and Code of Conduct

Haystack is dedicated to providing a safe event experience for all participants involved including attendees, sponsors, vendors, staff, exhibitors, and anyone else that will be present at the event. Given that the responsibility of a safe in-person event is equally shared among event organizers, event vendors, event sponsors, and event attendees, Haystack has developed the following code of conduct to which all participants need to abide by. This document outlines a collection of rules and regulations that include what is and is not acceptable or expected behavior and should serve as a reminder that if we all collectively respect the significance of this contribution, we are advocating for the well-being of our fellow global citizens.

COVID-19 and Masking Policy

All in-person conference attendees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (in accordance with CDC guidelines, this means that more than 2 weeks has elapsed since a person received either a second dose in a 2 dose series of vaccines (e.g. Pfizer, Moderna) or the single dose Johnson &Johnson vaccine).

At registration, attendees must show acceptable proof of vaccination such as a completed vaccination record or doctor’s letter confirming vaccination. At registration, each attendee must also complete a COVID-19 screening questionnaire to confirm that he/she is symptom-free and has not been recently exposed to someone infected with COVID-19.

We reserve the right to refuse admittance to any person who fails to provide proof of vaccination, fails to complete a COVID-19 screening questionnaire or who we determine in our discretion poses a risk of having COVID-19 based on his/her responses to the screening questionnaire. Masks covering the nose and mouth must be worn at all times by attendees during indoor events at the conference. We reserve the right to refuse admittance to the conference to any attendee who refuses to wear a mask. Attendees who violate the masking policy will be asked to leave the conference.

We may revise this policy prior to the conference based on updated guidance from the CDC, the Department of Health and Human Sciences and the Virginia Department of Health, and attendees agree to comply with any such revised policy.

Expected behaviour
Before Leaving Home
  • Follow relevant guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), or your local health authority.
  • Adhere to government issued travel restrictions and guidance issued by the region you will be travelling to and the region you are travelling from.
  • Evaluate your own health and that of people you are in close contact with; contact the meeting/event organizers if you have concerns.
  • Stay home if you feel sick.
On-site During the Event
  • Abide by the venue and Haystack’s rules
  • Assume all risks of attending an in-person event, including the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19
  • Follow guidance from the local health authority, for everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
  • Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Throw used tissues in the trash.
  • Agree to show proof of immunizations if required by Haystack.
  • Agree to wear a mask or facial covering, as required by Haystack.
  • Adhere to social distance protocols put in place by Haystack and respect others’ personal space.
  • Go to the event First Aid office (or equivalent) at any time if you feel unwell or are experiencing flu like symptoms.
  • Stay in your room and contact Haystack for further instructions if you wake up not feeling well during the event.
Post-event
  • Based on current contact tracing advice from many health authorities, if you test positive for COVID-19 up to 14 days after returning home, please contact Haystack immediately to advise them.

Unacceptable Behavior

Being negligent and unwilling to follow the rules and regulations listed in this code of conduct, even after a verbal warning has been provided by the Haystack team.

Consequences of unacceptable behaviour

If a participant chooses to not follow the rules and regulations listed in this code of conduct, Haystack may take any action deemed appropriate depending on the circumstances, ranging from issuance of a warning to the offending individual to expulsion from the event with no refund.

Witnessing unacceptable behavior

If at any point you feel unsafe because another participant is not following the code of conduct, please contact an OpenSource Connections team member.