Organisers of IDS determine new guidelines for 2021 event

Koelnmesse and its partners have been intensely busy with planning the safety measures required in order to make the physical presence of attendees at the international trade fair possible. Ultimately, different solutions were developed jointly by all of the parties concerned, and an alternative concept was drawn up for the format of the trade fair. Usually, exhibitors and visitors from all over the world attend IDS for five days. In 2021, however, the show will take place on four days, from Wednesday, 10 March, to Saturday, 13 March.

According to the organisers, a current visitor and exhibitor survey by Koelnmesse shows that many exhibitors will definitely take part in the event. To date, a total of 1,276 companies have confirmed their participation. This requires a redesign of the exhibition area in order to ensure that the distribution of all exhibitors is in line with SARS-CoV-2 safety regulations. Visitor traffic will be organised by means of several different entrances, and greater safety distances will be in place.

Koelnmesse additionally will offer hybrid tools on a digital platform in order to enhance participants’ physical presence at the trade fair. This will also enable guests or exhibitors to participate in IDS 2021 without travelling to Germany.

Mark Stephen Pace, chairman of the board of the Association of the German Dental Industry (VDDI), commented in this connection: “It was not an easy task to come to an agreement regarding the new concept for IDS. […] I am delighted that we now have the certainty and can all work jointly on offering the 39^th IDS 2021 as a platform for the dental industry in spite of the restrictions brought about by the crisis. The VDDI association has mastered many challenges in its meanwhile 104-year history.”

Oliver Frese, executive director and chief operating officer of Koelnmesse, added: “In compliance with the provisions of the Coronavirus Protection Ordinance of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and in close coordination with the authorities in Cologne, we have developed our extensive hygiene and safety concept, #B-SAFE4business, which consists of a host of measures that interlock seamlessly and govern the interaction among all people present at the trade fair. […] We are looking forward to IDS in Cologne.”

Despite all the hopes of the organisers, some world-famous companies in the dental industry are reluctant to participate. For example, Dentsply Sirona (this also applies to their brands VDW, MIS and Zhermack) and Amann Girrbach have already cancelled their participation in IDS 2021.

After a relatively calm summer, the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate is on the rise in Germany again. The government is very concerned about these latest developments and has warned that the country is at the beginning of a second wave. In Germany, from 3 January to 12 October 2020, there have been 322,864 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 9,615 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

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