Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
The health and safety of our attendees is top priority. Our health and safety protocols (updated on September 15) require all attendees to be fully vaccinated or to receive a waiver for medical or disability reasons.
(Attendees who registered before September 15 may cancel their registrations and request a full refund by October 8.)
- Attendees can request a waiver from the requirement based on health or disability status by October 29. (See below).
- All attendees who have not received a health/disability waiver will need to upload their vaccination information to our Safe Expo, our third-party Health Screening Provider, by Friday, November 5. Alternatively, you can bring your vaccination records to our onsite Health Screening station.
- To be considered fully vaccinated for OPTECH 2021, attendees must have gotten their second Pfizer/Moderna shot or single J&J shot by October 24.
- To protect the privacy of our attendees, SafeExpo does not share any of the information submitted to it with NMHC. In addition, they do not retain any records. All records are destroyed once they have been reviewed.
- If you are not able to show proof of vaccination prior to attending or at the Health Screening station, you will not be permitted to attend the event.
- IMPORTANT: Because SafeExpo does not retain any vaccine records, attendees who submitted vaccine information to attend NMHC’s Annual Meeting in June, NMHC's Fall Meeting in September or NMHC's Student Housing Conference in October, will have to re-submit their vaccination records.
Exemption Request for Medical/Disability Reasons
- You have until October 29 to request an exemption from our mandatory vaccine policy because you have a qualifying medical condition or disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- To submit a request, complete this form and return it to accommodationrequest@nmhc.org by Friday, October 29.
- Those who are approved for an exemption must provide a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the event and complete a daily health check onsite.
- If you are not approved, you will be eligible for a full refund.
Limited Refund Policy for Pre-September 15 Registrants
- If you registered before September 15 when this policy was enacted, you are entitled to request a full refund for your registration cancellation. Requests must be submitted before October 8.
- To request a refund: Contact membership@nmhc.org.
Submitting Proof of Vaccination
- To submit your vaccination records, please go to https://mgl.ud.net/fmi/webd/nmhc_optech by Friday, November 5.
If you prefer to verify your vaccination onsite, you can bring proof with you to the Safe Expo Screening Area when you arrive to the event. - You will receive an approved or declined email from our Health Screening company.
- Record Declined: Resubmit your record or contact our Health Screening company.
- Record Approved: Bring your approval email with QR code to the Health Screening Station.
- Scan your QR code.
- Receive your Fast Vax Pass for the remainder of the meeting.
Additional Health and Safety Measures
We ask all attendees to comply with current local regulations regarding mask wearing. As of 10/26 Prince George's County, where OPTECH is taking place, has an indoor mask mandate in place. If this requirement is lifted prior to OPTECH we will notify attendees on site.