Announcement: Updated COVID-19 guidelines for official WordPress events

Mandates related to COVID-19 are continuing to update around the world, and the Community Team’s COVID-19 requirements are updating with them. These new guidelines apply to all official WordPress events, meaning WordCamps, WordPress meetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. in the chapter program, do_actiondo_action do_action hackathons are community-organised events that are focussed on using WordPress to give deserving charitable organisations their own online presence. Learn more on doaction.org. events, and Open SourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. 101 workshops. 

For organizers

  • Follow all local regulations. These continue to change, so please ensure you have the latest information, especially as you get closer to the event. Further, if your local hospitals are overwhelmed, please cancel, postpone, or move the event online.
  • Provide masks and hand sanitizer around the venue space (WPCSWPCS The collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules (sniffs) used to format and validate PHP code developed for WordPress according to the WordPress Coding Standards. May also be an acronym referring to the Accessibility, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, etc. coding standards as published in the WordPress Coding Standards Handbook. will cover this cost if it is not provided by your venue).
  • As part of swag packs, WPCS will provide a sticker to indicate to others to please wear a mask when talking with you.

If legally permissible in the area, organizers can certainly opt to have more security measures for their event, like mandatory masks and checks for proof of vaccine or negative tests at the door. Of course, organizing events online will continue to be an option.

For attendees

These are strong recommendations for attendees. Organizers can help by confirming that these recommendations comply with local rules and regulations.

  • We still recommend that you wear a mask while at in-person WordPress events.
  • If you see that someone is wearing a sticker requesting people wear a mask near them, please wear a mask while within 6 feet (2 meters) of them or keep your distance.
  • A request that you only attend in-person if you are vaccinated or have recently tested negative.
  • Please stay at home if you are sick or have recently come in contact with someone who is ill.

These reminders will be added to WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. ticket purchase pages.  

In the coming days, the Community team will update handbook pages with these changes. After years of evolving guidance around COVID-19, my deep hope is that these guidelines will have some lasting power and help in-person WordPress community events come back safely and comfortably. 

A note on upcoming flagship events

As flagship events are larger and draw an international crowd, both WordCamp Europe and WordCamp US organizers were asked to view these as minimum requirements and are expected to have a more comprehensive plan in place.

WordCamp Europe will be following the guidelines of the Portuguese authorities and masks will be required indoors. The attendee registration will be spread out (at the venue of the speakers dinner and at the venue itself) and they will make use of registration booths (self service). Hand sanitisers will be available and some activities, such as WP Cafe, will be outdoors.

WordCamp US will be following the guidelines of the San Diego authorities. Along with those guidelines, we will require all attendees to be vaccinated or have recently tested negative. Additionally, due to the size and nature of this event, masks will be required to be worn over both the mouth and nose while indoors. Hand sanitizer and masks will also be available and some activities, such as lunch, will be outdoors.

Questions or feedback

If you have questions or feedback about these latest updates to the Community team’s COVID-19 related guidelines for events, please share in the comments below.