Many in the community are facing concerns about COVID-19, the disease caused by the newly discovered coronavirus [1]. We at Gopher Academy are following the status of COVID-19 carefully in preparation for the June conference.

Our goal is to provide a safe event for members of the Go community to learn and network. We will follow guidance from local, federal and global health authorities. We will not respond to evidence and data with panic and fear, but instead provide a measured and cautious response. Our decisions will be based on information gathered primarily from the World Health Organization’s Situation Reports (Situation Report 41 is the most current report) [2].

Based on the available guidance, GopherCon 2020 is still scheduled to occur in June in Orlando. We are working together with our vendors to continually monitor events so that we can make informed decisions for the conference. At this point, we are just under four months away from the June 22nd start of GopherCon. Conditions will change over the following months, so it is unwise to react hastily today. But, as of March 2nd, the WHO is not recommending restricted travel [3].

However, in order to be prepared for any possible outcomes, we are working with our venue, vendors, and partners to determine the feasibility of alternate backup dates for GopherCon 2020 in the event that conditions change, such that the June dates are no longer possible. We do not intend to cancel GopherCon 2020 outright, and if circumstances warrant a change, we will postpone the conference until a later, more judicious time. In the event the conference is postponed, existing ticket holders will not need to do anything to maintain their ticketed status. A ticket purchased for GopherCon 2020 will be valid for the alternate dates if the conference is postponed. In addition, GopherCon will honor all refunds up until May 22nd if future travel restrictions prevent your attendance.

We appreciate your trust in us and we will continue to update you as events unfold in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,

Brian Ketelsen and Erik St. Martin

Your GopherCon 2020 Hosts

External Links:

• [1] World Health Organization, Q&A
• [2] World Health Organization, SitRep 41
• [3] World Health Organization, Advice For International Traffic