DevDays COVID Protection Policy
After a review of the most current evidence provided by public health and safety experts, the DevDays organizers have determined that HL7 FHIR DevDays can be the most robust, productive, interactive, and safe conference possible by requiring full COVID-19 vaccination (as defined by your country/domicile) for entry as well as a negative COVID test within 72 hours of arriving at the event venue.
- Mask Update: Due to the recent surge in COVID cases, masks are required to be worn by all attendees while inside the conference venues except as necessary when eating or drinking, or when giving a presentation.
- The CLEAR Health Pass application will be used to confirm the vaccination status of each attendee to comply with the applicable right of entry protocols.
Step-by-step Instructions for CLEAR Health Pass
- Download the free CLEAR Health Pass application from Google Play or App Store to link your proof of vaccination. (Pls note: the app is US based only)
- Create a free account by uploading a photo of your government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license, and snap a quick selfie to confirm you are you. Already a member? Simply log in and verify with a selfie.
- Follow prompts to confirm your proof of vaccination. You can securely upload your CDC card, scan a SMART QR code, or link to a health provider.
- Watch our quick tutorial here for more information on how to upload your proof of vaccination.
- Within 72 Hours Before the Event Obtain Your Negative COVID-19 Test
(Test must be a professionally administered PCR, Rapid NAAT, or Rapid Antigen and a self-test is not acceptable). - Healthcare professionals will manually review COVID test results on site(if needed attendees may purchase a COVID test to be performed onsite).
- For those that are not able to use the app or choose not to use the app: Healthcare professionals will manually review vaccine credentials and COVID test results (if needed attendees may purchase a COVID test to be performed onsite).
- With CLEAR, you are always in control of your information. For more on CLEAR’S privacy policy visit here.
Right of Entry
The DevDays organizers had defined specific Right of Entry Protocols that reflect these principles and that comply with prevailing local regulations in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The organizers will continue to adopt the most recent requirements for the Right of Entry Protocols.
At this time for the purposes of right of entry to HL7 FHIR DevDays, a person is considered fully vaccinated:
- 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, or
- 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
This guidance applies to COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use and for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (i.e., Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines), and COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization (i.e., AstraZeneca/Oxford, Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac), for which a second dose has been administered two weeks prior to June 6, 2022.
The full list of vaccines with the final WHO EUL/PQ evaluation status is available here. The DevDays organizers may expand the list of vaccines, provide more specific guidance regarding mixed vaccination dosing, and/or provide additional guidance regarding boosters as prevailing public health guidance evolves.
Medical & Religious Exemptions
Attendees may request an exemption from the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons by submitting a letter a supporting documentation to DevDays organizers. Review of exemption requests will take approximately seven business days.
Medical exemptions:
- May be granted if a licensed physician, licensed nurse practitioner or licensed midwife (caring for a pregnant attendee) certifies in writing that such vaccination may be detrimental to the attendee’s health or is otherwise medically contraindicated.
- Must include a statement indicating which vaccine may be detrimental, including a detailed explanation of valid medical basis for such determination and length of time for which it may be detrimental.
- Should be based on the most recent guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
- Must be submitted separately for each vaccine from which they request a medical exemption.
- Will be granted on a temporary basis up to the point when the condition supporting an exemption is expected to resolve or expire; if related to a permanent condition will be granted per each subsequent event.
Religious exemptions:
- May be granted if an attendee certifies in writing that they hold genuine and sincere religious beliefs which are contrary to the practice of immunization.
- Must describe with specificity the religious principles that guide the objection to immunization.
- Will not be granted when opposition to the immunization is medical, scientific, political, philosophical, ethical or otherwise secular rather than religious in nature.
- May require additional supporting documentation.
Need a COVID test to travel home?
Testing will be available onsite at the conference venue on Monday, June 6, Tuesday, June 7 and Wednesday, June 8 for $23 USD. Costs can be paid cash or via creditcard.
Watch this space for additional details as the date of HL7 FHIR DevDays approaches.