RSVP in the Time of COVID-19

[vc_row type=\”in_container\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]You have been preparing for months and finally, everything you have dreamed of is falling into place. All items in your checklist have been ticked. Family and friends from overseas have long booked their air tickets. All suppliers have been so wonderfully accommodating to deliver to your requests. Everyone is anticipating this event, it is just a matter of weeks or days before “THE DAY” approaches. Then COVID-19 happens.

Schools are closing. Supermarkets are running out of the essential supplies. People are panicking. And your guests started calling one by one, saying they regret it but they will most likely miss your event.

According to World Health Organization, Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new virus that had not been previously identified in humans. The virus causes respiratory illness (like the flu) with symptoms such as a cough, fever and in more severe cases, pneumonia.

The outbreak has affected over 110 countries worldwide. Death tolls continue to increase by the minute as well as the number of infected and people under investigation or monitoring. Barely 3 months from the first outbreak in China, WHO declared COVID-19 as a pandemic. Air flights are being cancelled left and right and some boarders are closing.

Mass gatherings are highly discouraged. In Australia, one person per four square meters is enforced — all non-essential activities in venues including cafes, pubs and clubs would now be subject to restriction of one person per every four square meters. Indeed, RSVP in the time of this pandemic just does not feel right anymore.

What do you do? As part of the events industry, we at One Click Events feel you!

As early as the COVID-19 onset, we have started doing our own precautionary measures. We regularly sanitize our props and equipment, which is part of our standard practices with or without COVID-19. We also started discouraging the use of wearable props in our photobooths. Currently, we are making hand sanitizers available in all our set-ups and requested people to refrain from touching our equipment.

In order to minimize further spread of the disease, WHO advises everyone to protect themselves and the people around them. We have compiled some simple measures we can do in order to contribute to this fight against the spread of the virus:

O – online interactions and activities rather than face to face meetings in order to promote social distancing. Let us all stay at home as much as possible and limit going out only to essential ones like buying food or medicines.

N – no to hoarding and panic buying. Let us take care of ourselves and our family but be considerate to others as well. Whenever we go out for groceries, think of other people who may also need tissue paper, alcohol, sanitizers or wet wipes. If we buy more than what we need, we take away from others that opportunity to practice good hygiene thus contributing to the spread of the virus.

E – exercise good hygiene and preventive measures. WHO has been reminding everyone to always wash our hands and avoid touching our faces. Our enemy is something we cannot see with our naked eyes, so better be more cautious and sanitize ourselves and the things we brought outside like cellphones, wallets and jewelries as soon as we reach our homes. Immediately seek medical care if you are feeling unwell or showing symptoms so we can avoid infecting others.

We would also like to share some suggestions for event organizers and clients on how to deal with their upcoming events:

Maximize online options. You may opt to do your meetings with suppliers online, rather than face to face. Do video conferencing, exchange emails, provide soft copy pictures and send scanned documents rather than meeting up in person.

Consider a more private/intimate ceremony. Some events may just be very challenging if not impossible to reschedule or cancel, like weddings. Some couples chose to proceed with their wedding ceremonies but with very limited attendance, at most only family members. They opted to postpone the celebration with a bigger number of guests to a later date when the health risk is lower.

Be creative and celebrate via video conferencing. Believe or not, this can be so much fun! Ask family or friends to be online at a particular date and time. Agree on what each of you need to set-up or prepare prior to the call. For instance, ask each one to be ready with a bottle of red wine, cheese or cold cuts. Then, call each other and celebrate the techie way! You may also do some online games during the call for entertainment. Take screenshots and share to one another as an instant online photobooth!

Postpone to a later date. Although a lot needs to be re-arranged when you change the date of the event, it may be one of the most practical options at this time. Most airlines have offered re-booking and cancellations for free, so guests flying in will not be a major problem anymore. Suppliers are also open to changes given that this is an unforeseen event brought about by force of nature. At One Click Events, we allow changes in dates as long as your new date is still available. We are also waiving cancellation fees for events that are cancelled due to this pandemic. If you so decide, better to inform your suppliers as soon as possible so you still have a lot of date options left for you to decide on.

We continue to wish you to have a memorable event despite this difficult time. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions regarding your bookings and we are open to discuss and work on the available options.

This too shall pass. Let us fight as ONE and win this battle against COVID-19!

To know more about One Click Events, visit our website at www.oneclickevents.com.au or follow us at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/one.click.events/  or visit our page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oneclickevents/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]