We are diligently watching the news and reports of the impact of the Coronavirus on an hour-by-hour basis, both as it relates to our conference operations and the needs of our partner institutions and organizations. Currently, all of our events scheduled March 19 – 21 remain on schedule.

We are aware that on March 8, Nashville-Davidson County announced a single confirmed case of COVID-19.  We are monitoring the department of health for further announcements and are discussing the potential impact that this will have on the SAM Annual Conference scheduled to take place on March 19 – 21.

To protect our conference attendees, the Hilton Nashville Airport and SAM are taking extra safety precautions. These measures include:

  • Increasing the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing of meeting facilities and public areas;
  • Offering hand sanitizer to our attendees;
  • Promoting appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette;
  • Increasing hand sanitizer stations;
  • Reminding event participants to stay away from the event if they feel ill; and
  • Recommending persons who feel unwell (that is, have fever and cough) stay at home and avoid crowds until their symptoms resolve.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the following precautionary measures to stay healthy while traveling.

  • Avoid travel if you have a fever or cough.
  • If you have a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your health care provider.
  • Avoid close contact with people suffering from a fever and cough.
  • Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth.
  • When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue — throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
  • If you become sick while traveling, inform the crew and seek medical care early.
  • Eat only well-cooked food.
  • Avoid spitting in public.
  • Avoid close contact and travel with animals that are sick.

The overall risk of COVID-19 in the United States to the general public remains low at this time. In Nashville, major events are proceeding as scheduled, and hotels, attractions, restaurants, and venues remain open. While travelers to Nashville should always exercise healthy travel habits, the risk to Americans remains low and there are no restrictions on travel anywhere in the United States.

The Society for Advancement of management remains excited to welcome you to the 2020 SAM International Business Conference in Nashville, Tennessee in just a few short days.  We will continue to be vigilant and communicative with our national and local partners, our clients and public health experts. 

Should your organization or institution implement a travel restriction on sponsored travel, please contact us at [email protected].  We will review the details of your individual needs and work to develop a solution, when possible, that will permit you to participate in the SAM International Management Conference.