On-Site Annual Meeting Attendees Required to Verify COVID Vaccination


February 2023

To access the 2023 AERA Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 13–16, all participants must have up-to-date vaccination and at least one booster (if eligible) to attend in person. This policy was adopted, and subsequently reaffirmed at the February meeting of AERA Council to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all attendees, hotel staff, and related services employees who support the AERA Annual Meeting.

SafeAccess is the AERA vendor responsible for confirming the vaccination status of registrants. Registrants will receive a personalized email invitation from SafeAccess to verify their vaccination status. AERA encourages those attending the Chicago meeting with U.S. and non-U.S. vaccination cards to do so in advance. SafeAccess will also have staff on site in Chicago to review the vaccination status required to obtain a badge and gain access to the Annual Meeting, but it will expedite the process for registrants to verify vaccination status beforehand.

After Annual Meeting attendees register for the meeting, they are contacted by SafeAccess. Registrants should then:

1. Accept the personalized invitation to SafeAccess that they receive via email. If an email has not been received, they should check their spam folder/filter.
2. Set up a password for their security and privacy.
3. View the health and safety policies and provide their responses, which may include document uploads for verification.

There is no app to download. Once registrants have completed the steps above, they will receive a message that will say “pending” (if documents need to be reviewed), or “granted” (if no reviews are necessary). It takes 1–2 business days for records to be reviewed in the SafeAccess system.

SafeAccess registrants will receive a Digital Health Pass via email when their review has been completed. They can return to the site at any time to check their status by clicking here—SafeAccess—and selecting “BADGE” or “STATUS.” All data are stored by a secure, HIPAA-compliant cloud service, and will not be used for any purpose other than as required by the AERA 2023 Annual Meeting.

“AERA Council adopted this policy for the 2022 AERA Annual Meeting and is continuing it for the 2023 AERA Annual Meeting,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “We wish to thank everyone in advance for doing their part to keep this event healthy and safe for all attendees.”

Visit the AERA website to learn more about the 2023 Annual Meeting vaccination policy. Questions about the vaccination verification process should be directed to support@safeaccess.app.