The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has been declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is believed to spread mainly from person-to-person contact. As a result, federal, state, and local governments and federal and state health agencies recommend social distancing and increased personal protection efforts, including frequent hand washing and wearing face coverings at all times outside the home.
The American College of Rheumatology (“ACR”) has put in place reasonable precautionary measures aimed at preventing or reducing the spread of COVID-19 among participants, including requiring that all participants be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. However, given the nature of the virus, the ACR cannot guarantee that you (or those with whom you come into close contact) will not become infected with COVID-19. Further, attending the Event (including your travel to and from such Event) could increase your risk of contracting COVID-19.
By registering for and attending the Event:
You certify, represent and warrant that you are or will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before arriving at the Event. ACR considers an individual as fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose in a 2-dose vaccine series (e.g. Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Oxford/AstraZeneca) or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine (e.g. Johnson & Johnson Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine). You acknowledge that ACR reserves the right to request verification of your compliance with its vaccine requirement.
You acknowledge the contagious nature of COVID-19 and voluntarily assume all risk that you may be exposed to or infected by COVID-19 and that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and death to you or to those with whom you come into close contact.
You further acknowledge and agree to accept sole responsibility for any injuries (including, but not limited to, personal injury, disability, and death, illnesses, damages, losses, claims, causes of action, liabilities, judgments, costs and expense, of any sort or kind, including all costs related to COVID-19 virus prevention and mitigation, including testing, medical care, extended hotel stays, or changes in travel arrangements), that may arise for or to you or to those with whom you come into close contact (including your household members) (“Claims”).
You hereby release, covenant not to sue, discharge, and hold harmless the ACR, its employees, agents, and representatives, of and from any Claims, including all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, costs or expenses of any kind arising out of or relating thereto.
You further understand and agree that this release includes any Claims based on the actions, omissions, or negligence of the ACR, its employees, agents, and representatives, whether a COVID-19 infection occurs before, during, or after participation in the Event.
If you cannot agree to or accept the foregoing, DO NOT ATTEND THE EVENT. Failure to agree to or abide by any of the foregoing may result in denial of entry or immediate expulsion from the Event, in ACR’s sole discretion, in addition to any and all remedies which may be available to the ACR, in equity or at law.
BY ATTENDING THE EVENT, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE GIVING UP SUBSTANTIAL RIGHTS ON BEHALF OF YOURSELF, AND YOU HAVE SIGNED THIS AGREEMENT FREELY AND VOLUNTARILY WITHOUT INDUCEMENT, ASSURANCE OR GUARANTEE BEING MADE TO YOU.