Lunch and Snack Venues Should Be Outside

[fantasai]

In common space for breaks and lunches: Several rooms as well as outside space will be used to avoid crowded space

Outside only. There is no good reason to allow people to be removing their masks indoors while chatting with other people for an extended period of time.

[hjrchung]

I'm not sure outside only would really help when people are already chatting with other people while eating or drinking.
They are stated optional in https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/covid/safely-distributing-meals.html, but I think placing 'physical barriers' (our cafeterias have acrylic sheet barriers) could be another option. (especially if there is not enough outside space)

[fantasai]

@hjrchung Ventilation matters, and outside air is way, way safer than any indoor air because it is huge and it moves. As for physical barriers indoors, there have been studies showing that they cause more problems rather than less, because they interfere with airflow and hence ventilation.

As for the US CDC, it is not a reputable organization wrt this pandemic. They have consistently downplayed the risks, and offered half-measures as mitigation, because they have to play to the absurd politics of the US.

Food and drinks should be outside only, so that the indoor space can remain fully masked at all times. Failure to arrange that will result in people not attending.

[alexandralacourba]

The outside space is limited. It will not be possible to accommodate meals outside for all the TPAC attendees.
But, we are working on having other rooms where ventilation will be guaranteed. Windows will be open. We will also set up shifts as we did in the previous years to avoid crowded space.

[fantasai]

@alexandralacourba

The outside space is limited. It will not be possible to accommodate meals outside for all the TPAC attendees.

Can you at least set up the morning and afternoon breaks completely outside?

Windows will be open.

This is important, and I'm glad to hear it as a lot of venues don't have windows that open. :(

[alexandralacourba]

@fantasai, people will be able to go out for breaks even if the breaks can not be served completely outside. All this will be confirmed in a few weeks.

[fantasai]

@alexandralacourba "People can make an extra effort to go outside" is quite different from "We set things up so the default is outside, and this is the easy and natural way to participate." The second is much more effective.

[alexandralacourba]

@fantasai, Please allow some time to sort this out. The venue has limited outside space, limited to 50 people at the same. We need to work around that. We have several options at our disposal. More info will be shared in the coming weeks.

[fantasai]

@alexandralacourba If the space is limited, I would suggest prioritize maximizing the availability of outdoor seating as much as possible, for example using rectangular table layouts rather than round ones, and keeping the food and drink service tables indoors so that space can be used for seating instead. Also, if there are multiple small outdoor spaces, we can split up into multiple groups.

Breaks don't have table seating, so hopefully it can be possible to set them up completely outside?

You have to think about COVID like smoke: if an unknown random selection of people not wearing a mask are breathing out noxious smoke instead of CO2, how can you best reduce the smoke inhalation of other TPAC participants?

[swesthaver]

Hi all,

The outdoor tented space is limited to 50 people at one time. All food and beverage for the event will be placed indoors so there is more space available in the tent for attendees. This has already been discussed with the Sheraton.

The hotel proposed that we use tall cocktail tables only in the tent, no chairs. I've asked the Sheraton to confirm the number of people that could work in the tent for two scenarios:

1. tall cocktail tables, no chairs
2. combination of tall cocktail tables no chairs and short cocktail tables w/ 3 chairs.

I hope to have a reply by Monday. If someone would like to eat in the tent and requires a chair, we will discuss with the hotel.

There is a grassy area in the same area where the tent would be installed. Nothing is permitted to be installed on the grass, but folks would be able to sit on the grass and consume a boxed lunch.

We are considering boxed lunches (grab and go).
Susan

[swesthaver]

See views of the space, video: https://bit.ly/3N2sxkc

Proposed lunch space: Pavilion ballroom and Pavilion foyer. The space has large windows; they do not open. The concourse between the two towers has windows that open.

We are waiting for a list of meeting rooms/spaces with windows that open from the hotel. It appears that the ballrooms: Grand ballroom, Pavilion ballroom and Junior ballroom do not have windows that open. Some don't have any windows.

Susan

[frivoal]

How are we doing on this? In particular, we've had information that registrations for in person attendance were unexpectedly high (I believe I have heard something in the range of 250 participants).

• How is the capacity for lunch and breaks in outside regards to that number?
• Do we have clarity on the ventilation of any indoor space to be used for lunch and breaks?

[alexandralacourba]

The outside capacity is 63 seats simultaneously. We will also have extra space outside but no seated.
We are working on group schedules so that we can plan at least two shifts (126 outside meals minimum)
It will be possible to open windows in the indoor space and the hotel will boost the ventilation during the meals. We are also planning to have 6 people per table (instead of 10)