All of us at ASOR look forward to gathering safely at the Annual Meeting in Chicago. We realize that everyone is eager to reconnect, network, and share research in person again, even if the experience may look different than our pre-COVID Annual Meetings. We also realize that many of you are still navigating travel restrictions imposed by various national and institutional entities. This webpage will be amended frequently with the most up-to-date Annual Meeting COVID-19 information.

ASOR staff and officers are following the evolving pandemic guidelines as they develop at the local (Chicago) and national (USA) levels. ASOR will follow all federal, local, and hotel guidelines and recommendations to ensure our members’ safety. We are working closely with our venue partners, affiliates, and vendors to create a safe meeting environment that is also engaging and meaningful.

City of Chicago Travel Recommendations

Please check the Chicago Department of Public Health’s website often for the latest information regarding Chicago’s COVID-19 Travel Advisory. Currently, every state in the U.S. falls within the Chicago COVID-19 Travel Advisory. The webpage states that all unvaccinated individuals who are returning to Chicago from travel should be tested 1–3 days before traveling to Chicago, and they should get tested 3–5 days after arrival. In addition, they should self-quarantine for 7 days. Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, should wear a mask on public transportation and in indoor public settings.

Vaccination Required for All Attendees

Obviously, it is not practical for ASOR members to follow the City of Chicago recommendation (it is written for returnees, but logically applies to visitors as well) to quarantine for seven days at the hotel before the start of the Annual Meeting. Furthermore, ASOR aims to act in solidarity with many of our sister learned societies that are meeting this winter (e.g., American Anthropological Association [AAA], American Historical Association [AHA], Middle East Studies Association [MESA], and the Modern Language Association [MLA]) by requiring all in-person Annual Meeting attendees to be fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine before arriving at the Hilton Chicago Hotel.

Annual Meeting in-person attendees will be required to share hard copy paper or digital proof of vaccination before receiving their name badges. We will also accept a sworn affidavit as proof of vaccination. If an in-person attendee has a need for an exemption to this policy, they may request one from ASOR’s President and Executive Director. Alternatively, prospective in-person attendees may also choose to forego the in-person meeting and participate in the virtual component of ASOR’s Annual Meeting.

ASOR Safety Pledge and Practices

• All ASOR staff and volunteers at the registration desk will be fully vaccinated.
• All ASOR staff and volunteers at the registration desk will take a rapid COVID test before travel to Chicago and after arrival at the hotel.
• ASOR encourages all attendees to follow these same testing protocols.
• All staff, volunteers, and in-person and attendees pledge to meet as safely as possible by:
  • Being fully vaccinated,
  • Wearing facemasks as recommended by the hotel and City of Chicago, and
  • Following hotel, City of Chicago, and CDC COVID-19 guidelines.

Please visit this page often for updates as we get closer to the Annual Meeting. In the meantime, please contact Arlene Press, ASOR Director of Meetings and Events (meetings@asor.org), with any questions.

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