COVID-19 Guidelines for ALTA44 and Arizona Translates!

COVID-19 Guidelines for ALTA44 and Arizona Translates!

Last updated 11.9.2021

At ALTA, we recognize that guidelines around COVID-19 may change as the public health situation fluctuates. Please refer to this page for our most recent guidelines. We greatly appreciate your patience as we navigate the circumstances of this year, and hope you will join us this fall in whatever way it makes sense for you. The guidelines below have been endorsed by ALTA's Board of Directors.

Proof of Vaccination or Negative COVID-19 Test: All in-person conference attendees are expected to be fully vaccinated at the time of the meeting. Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of check-in will be required in order to attend the in-person ALTA44 conference. To be considered fully vaccinated, you must receive the second dose of a 2-dose vaccine, or one dose of a single-dose vaccine no later than two weeks before the start of the conference. Please remember that no onsite registration will be processed; you must register online for the in-person conference by October 18. 

The following are acceptable as proof of vaccination:

  • Vaccination card (which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided, and date last dose administered).
  • A photocopy of your vaccination card.
  • A photo of your vaccination card stored on a phone or electronic device.
  • The name on the vaccination card shown must match the name on your identification. 

The following are acceptable as proof of a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours of the time you check in for the conference:

  • Printed document (from the test provider or laboratory). The information provided should include the name of the person tested, type of test performed, and date of negative test result.
  • An email or text message displayed on phone or electronic device from the test provider or laboratory. The information provided should include the name of the person tested, type of test performed, and date of negative test result.
  • Information on testing centers in Tucson may be found on the Pima County COVID-19 Testing Centers webpage.
  • The closest testing site to the Marriott Hotel is Downtown Tucson - TEP Building (88 E. Broadway Blvd, Tucson North side of TEP building). This site offers antigen tests (results same day) and PCR swab tests (results in 24-48 hours). Testing hours at this site are Mon., Wed., Fri.: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. This site takes walk-ups, or individuals can register online or by calling (855) 452-2346.

If you need help finding a vaccine, we encourage you to visit https://www.vaccines.gov. If you have lost your proof of vaccination, visit your state health department’s website, many of which keep vaccinations records. 

Once inside the conference, your name tag will serve as proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test to enter conference rooms and events. It will be essential that you wear your name tag at this year’s conference. If you do not provide proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test you will not be able to obtain your name tag upon arrival.

No exceptions will be made to this policy. 

Social Distancing: Attendance at in-person conference events at the Marriott (including the keynote address and seminars and roundtables) will be capped for the purposes of social distancing. 

Masks: CDC guidelines recommend that all people (regardless of vaccination status) wear face coverings in public spaces. Since Pima County (where Tucson is located) is currently an area of high transmission, we require face coverings while inside the conference venue. Like you, we look forward to the day when these precautions are no longer necessary. Until then, we will comply with CDC guidelines in order to keep our attendees, friends, Board, staff, and volunteers safe and healthy. Thank you for joining us in that effort!

Self-Wellness Assessment: Staff, volunteers, and attendees are asked to self-assess for COVID related symptoms before attending ALTA events. Attendees should stay home or stay in their hotel room in Tucson if they have tested positive for COVID-19, are waiting for COVID-19 test results, have COVID-19 symptoms, or if they have had close contact with a person who has tested positive for or who has symptoms of COVID-19. If you aren’t feeling well or aren’t sure, please stay home! We will refund your registration.

Contact Tracing: Attendees agree to contact the appropriate authorities, including ALTA staff, within one day, in the event that they test positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of the conference, for the purposes of contact tracing. In the event of a positive test result reported to ALTA, contact tracing will be done through Pima County, in partnership with the UA SAFER team. (Any attendee who is affiliated with UA should also report a positive case through the UA Report Positive Test form.)

Acknowledgement of Risk: By attending any portion of ALTA’s 2021 in-person conference in Tucson, attendees acknowledge all of the risks associated with the contagious and evolving nature of COVID-19, and accept sole responsibility for any expense, liability, illness, injury, harm, or loss related to contracting the virus while traveling to/from and attending the ALTA conference. Attendees agree to release, covenant not to sue, discharge, and hold harmless ALTA’s staff, Board, volunteers, contractors, partners, participants, and representatives from all claims of any kind arising out of COVID-19. 

Conference Venue Protocols and Practices: You can also read about the Marriott's pandemic-related protocols and practices on their website.  

COVID-19 FAQ

Why is there no onsite registration?

  • No onsite conference registration is offered in Tucson so that the ALTA staff organizing the conference has adequate time to plan for social distancing. 
  • If you did not register for the conference in advance, you are welcome to come back for a few events that are open to the public as part of ALTA’s Arizona Translates! Series: the Reading by the BIPOC Literary Translators Caucus on Thursday, the Keynote Address by Ofelia Zepeda and Discussion Tables, and the Staged Reading and Talkback at Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre on Friday, and the tour at MOCA on Sunday. You can learn more about all of these events on our Arizona Translates! web page.
  • We hope to see you there, and hope you’ll join us for next year’s conference!

There are no more chairs in the seminar or roundtable I want to attend. Can I stand and listen, or bring a chair from another room? 

  • Unfortunately, no. Seating has been spaced out in our session rooms to ensure social distancing and appropriate room capacity, and we ask that it not be moved or rearranged. 
  • You are welcome to wait nearby outside the session room, and if someone exits the room you are welcome to go in and take their seat. 
  • Also, each session will meet twice—once on Friday and again on Saturday—so you are welcome to join the next day if there is no space the first day. 

Can I take my mask off when I’m eating/drinking in the Marriott?

  • We ask that there is no eating in session rooms or at other events in the conference space. 
  • However, hydration is important, especially in the Sonoran desert! You can briefly lower or remove your face covering while actively drinking water or taking oral medication, but it must be worn between sips. 
  • The outdoor terrace is a great place to catch up with friends over a meal, and food and drink are also allowed in the hotel Atrium. 
  • There are also many outdoor restaurants and cafes within walking distance of the hotel. 

Can I take my mask off when I’m reading/presenting in front of a group?

  • No; we require attendees to wear their mask at all times while inside the conference venue, including while reading or presenting.
  • We know masks can be uncomfortable, but our highest priority is the health and safety of our members and our community.
  • If you feel that you don’t understand people with masks as well, you are welcome to move closer to the front of the space. 

Who decided on these policies and guidelines?

  • ALTA’s COVID-19 guidelines were drafted by our COVID Task Force, which is comprised of ALTA staff and Board members. These guidelines were endorsed by ALTA’s Board, whose members are elected and represent the membership, on October 20.

Who can I speak to about these policies and guidelines?

  • If you would like to speak with someone about your comfort and safety at the ALTA44 conference, you are welcome to visit the ALTA44 Ombuds, Caitlan Hendrickson. An Ombuds is a specialist available to help conference attendees with issues, concerns, conflicts, or other difficulties. 
  • How to obtain help from the Ombuds: In-person conference attendees may visit the Ombuds during her open office hours or contact her to schedule a consultation outside of office hours. 
    • Office Hours: Friday, November 12 from 12pm-3pm MT Saturday, November 13 from 12pm-2pm & 4pm-5pm MT 
    • Office Location: Wedding Showroom, Tucson Marriott University Park 
    • Contact: ALTAOmbuds@gmail.com / 623-239-2485

Additional Resources

The University of Arizona's COVID-19 Updates: https://covid19.arizona.edu/updates

The University of Arizona's COVID-19 Response web page: https://covid19.arizona.edu/

The University of Arizona Campus Health: https://health.arizona.edu/healthalerts

Download "Covid Watch," the University of Arizona’s anonymous exposure notification app: https://covid19.arizona.edu/covidwatch

Contact tracing in Pima County: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=580745

Arizona Department of Health Services Data Dashboard: https://www.azdhs.gov/covid19/data/index.php

The University of Arizona's COVID-19 Dashboard: https://covid19.arizona.edu/dashboard

Pima County Health Department COVID-19 Dashboard: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/426baca70718453a9f63a4f85e545d8b

COVID-19 Testing Centers in Pima County: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=575060