New COVID-19 study finds precautionary measures at Orlando conference were effective – WESH 2 Orlando

On Wednesday morning, a new study was released that analyzed COVID-19 transmission at an Orlando conference during the peak of the omicron surge in February.Dr. Callisia Clarke from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee is the lead author. She and a group of six doctors compared how COVID-19 spread among in-person and virtual attendees at the Academic Surgical Congress held in Orlando from Feb. 1 to 3. Clarke said it is one of the largest annual surgical meetings. "The risk is inherent in our job. What we didnt want to do was increase that risk by gathering in a large group and then further contribute to the problem by essentially wiping out a major proportion of the physician workforce," Clarke said.Registrants could participate in person or virtually. For in-person attendees, there were measures in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus like encouraging self-testing, mandatory vaccination and masking and outdoor serving of food and beverages."That really negated people eating maskless. It also encouraged people to talk outside, remove their masks, be able to really communicate and interact in a more natural way but in a safe space," said Clarke. "It really decreased the rates of transmission I think because people were outdoors for a significant portion of the meeting."681 attendees chose to participate in the study. Within seven days of the meeting, people reported their COVID-19 test results. The study found a similar positivity rate among in-person and virtual attendees, with 1.8% positivity among in-person attendees and 1.5% positivity among virtual attendees. The doctors found cautious strategies to mitigate COVID-19 transmission during a surge were effective, and in-person meeting attendance posed no greater risk than professional hazards.""As we get back to normal, we can really continue to implement these strategies and continue to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe," said Clarke.The study concluded that "societies should continue to modify preventative strategies and evaluate safety measures so that meetings may be conducted as safely as possible to prevent viral transmission."

On Wednesday morning, a new study was released that analyzed COVID-19 transmission at an Orlando conference during the peak of the omicron surge in February.

Dr. Callisia Clarke from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee is the lead author. She and a group of six doctors compared how COVID-19 spread among in-person and virtual attendees at the Academic Surgical Congress held in Orlando from Feb. 1 to 3. Clarke said it is one of the largest annual surgical meetings.

"The risk is inherent in our job. What we didnt want to do was increase that risk by gathering in a large group and then further contribute to the problem by essentially wiping out a major proportion of the physician workforce," Clarke said.

Registrants could participate in person or virtually. For in-person attendees, there were measures in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus like encouraging self-testing, mandatory vaccination and masking and outdoor serving of food and beverages.

"That really negated people eating maskless. It also encouraged people to talk outside, remove their masks, be able to really communicate and interact in a more natural way but in a safe space," said Clarke. "It really decreased the rates of transmission I think because people were outdoors for a significant portion of the meeting."

681 attendees chose to participate in the study. Within seven days of the meeting, people reported their COVID-19 test results. The study found a similar positivity rate among in-person and virtual attendees, with 1.8% positivity among in-person attendees and 1.5% positivity among virtual attendees.

The doctors found cautious strategies to mitigate COVID-19 transmission during a surge were effective, and in-person meeting attendance posed no greater risk than professional hazards."

"As we get back to normal, we can really continue to implement these strategies and continue to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe," said Clarke.

The study concluded that "societies should continue to modify preventative strategies and evaluate safety measures so that meetings may be conducted as safely as possible to prevent viral transmission."

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New COVID-19 study finds precautionary measures at Orlando conference were effective - WESH 2 Orlando