February 2024

On February 3, AERA Council voted to lift the association’s COVID vaccination policy at the end of the April 2024. After April 30, proof of vaccination will no longer be required to attend AERA events.

The current policy, which requires attendees at AERA meetings to be fully vaccinated with at least one booster, if eligible, or to provide documentation of exemptions for medical or religious reasons, remains in place for the 2024 Annual Meeting, April 11–14. Mask wearing is not required. Mutual respect and health and safety remain priority goals.

AERA Council first adopted a COVID vaccination policy in November 2021 for the 2022 Annual Meeting, subsequently modified and extended it in March 2023, and renewed it again in June 2023 through the 2024 Annual Meeting. The policy also extended to all other AERA meetings and events.

“The policy has protected the health and safety of thousands of individuals at AERA events through what we hope is the tail end of the COVID pandemic, including meeting attendees, venue personnel, AERA staff, and all who participate,” said AERA Executive Director Felice Levine. “We will continue to closely monitor health and safety conditions, and if necessary, Council will revisit the policy in the future.”

For the 2024 Annual Meeting, AERA continues to use SafeAccess as the vendor responsible for confirming the vaccination or exemption status of registrants. Registrants receive a personalized email invitation from SafeAccess to verify their vaccination status. AERA encourages those attending the meeting with U.S. and non-U.S. vaccination cards to do so in advance. SafeAccess will also have staff on-site in Philadelphia to review the vaccination status required to obtain a badge and gain access to the Annual Meeting. Individuals who have completed SafeAccess for other AERA events since October 2023 will be cleared without needing to further upload documentation.