Dear IBS Members,
10 April Update: By now you have heard that our plans have changed, and we have regrettably had to halt planning for an IBC in Seoul for July, 2020. We did not take this decision lightly, and eagerly look forward to seeing our friends and colleagues in person once again at an IBS event in the near future. As plans continue to fluctuate, we will of course keep you informed of our next steps. In the meantime, take care and stay healthy!Preparations continue for our biennial International Biometric Conference (IBC) to be held in Seoul, Korea on July 5-10 2020. It is shaping up to be an excellent meeting, but as you can imagine, news regarding the COVID-19 virus is an ongoing concern for those of us involved in the planning.
At this point, our strategy is to keep a close eye on the latest WHO guidelines and recommendations. According to this website as of a few days ago, "WHO advises against the application of any restrictions of international traffic based on the information currently available on this event." Their argument is that the various control measures imposed by China and many other countries are doing a good job of containing the outbreak. Thus, there is every hope that the crisis will be well and truly over by July.
WHO has been careful to warn against panic and over-reaction which can cause severe economic hardship and disruption. With all of this in mind, we are, for now, proceeding confidently with the expectation that IBC will take place as planned. We will, of course, continue to monitor the situation and will update you accordingly.
Depending on how things go in the next few weeks, we will likely extend the early bird registration deadline beyond April 16, 2020. Please stay tuned!
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our support and best wishes to any colleagues who may be directly affected by the outbreak.
Sincerely
Geert Verbeke, IBS President
Louise Ryan, IBS Outgoing President and Organizing President for IBC2020
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