The insurance industry trade group RIMS now requires anyone attending its events in the coming months to provide they’re fully-vaccinated for COV-19.

RIMS said the requirement is effective immediately for all events managed by RIMS staff, including the upcoming RIMS Enterprise Risk Management Conference and its Annual Conference & Exhibition scheduled for April 10-13 in San Francisco.

“RIMS events are world-renowned and have set the highest standard for delivering the best in risk management knowledge, solutions and opportunities,” RIMS President Ellen Dunkin said in prepared remarks..”Under these current conditions and after a thorough review of event industry trends, our Board felt it was necessary to adopt these vaccination requirements. At the end of the day, it’s about the safety of our attendees and, as risk professionals, we believe this decision is the best option for RIMS to, once again, bring the world’s risk management community together.”

RIMS will adhere to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) definition of “fully vaccinated.” According to the CDC, people are considered fully vaccinated:

• Two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
• Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
• If the individual does not meet these requirements, regardless of age, they are NOT fully vaccinated.

The vaccine requirement also applies to RIMS staff, vendors, sponsors, media, and other ancillary partners who plan to attend or provide a service at a RIMS event. While the Society will make no exceptions for religious or health exemptions, it will work with those impacted to develop an alternative virtual event experience. The Society is currently exploring third-party vendors that specialize in conducting health screenings, as well as validating the authenticity of vaccine documentation.

RIMS Board of Directors and staff will continue to monitor the COVID-19 global pandemic and its impact on both domestic and international populations, the group said, warning that the policy could be revised as conditions warrant.

Founded in 1950, RIMS represents more than 3,500 industrial, service, nonprofit, charitable, and government entities globally

Source: RIMS