COVID Information and Guidelines for SHIFT 2021

The health and safety of our attendees is our number one priority at this year’s SHIFT Childcare Leaders Conference. Our team is closely monitoring CDC recommendations and is in contact with our host hotel, the Balboa Bay Resort, to set guidelines for this year’s event.

The team at HINGE has planned this year’s event with safety in mind, and we hope the decisions below will give you some peace of mind during the event:

  • All cocktail hours and receptions are either being held completely outdoors or have access to a spacious outdoor area.

  • The HINGE team will handle check-in on the iPads this year to avoid multiple touches on devices.

  • Seating for breakfasts and lunches are outdoors.

  • Extended 30-minute, “fresh air” breaks during morning sessions, in-between breakout sessions and before keynote sessions.

  • Seating in Main Ballroom will be spaced for more comfort and less cross-contamination. (For more peace of mind, see hotel sanitization protocols below.)

  • Option to open doors to courtyard area for increased air flow in breakout rooms.

  • Masks will be provided to all attendees. In compliance with the latest CAL/OSHA regulations, masks are not required for fully vaccinated guests. However, if an individual is not vaccinated then they will need to wear a mask. An honor system policy is currently in place at the the Balboa Bay Resort, relying on individuals to comply with mask usage if they are not vaccinated. We appreciate our attendees cooperation with these on-site rules.

For your comfort and additional consideration, below is a list of the Balboa Bay Resort’s current cleaning protocols:

  • Increased sanitation of commonly touched areas (such as remote controls, phones, lamp switches, door handles, doorknobs, rails, elevator buttons, etc.)

  • All cleaning chemicals approved by the EPA with properly levels of disinfectant

  • Cross-contamination avoided by frequently changing proper cleaning rags and clean gloves for every guest room

  • Stringent checklist for every guest room and pre-inspection by a trained inspector before each room is used

  • Sanitization of all meeting spaces in between functions—all surfaces wiped down with EPA approved cleaning chemicals

  • Sanitation stations will be placed in every public area, at meals and in meeting locations.

  • Linens are replaced between each meeting and high touch points areas are sanitized frequently.

We hope all of the above will put your mind at ease during this year’s conference. As stated, we are in constant contact with our host hotel and will update the above guidelines and protocols as needed. We look forward to hosting all of our 2021 attendees very soon!

Meredith Douglas