The 3^rd EAS Congress has been postponed.

The new date is in November, from Thursday 26^th to Saturday 28^th 2020 at the Hilton Congress Centre, Portomaso, Malta.

 

The Board at EAS were forced to make this very important decision. We are very disappointed for all delegates, exhibitors and staff to have to postpone 3^rd Congress but the rapid spread of the COVID - 19 virus does not allow us to guarantee everyone’s health and safety at Congress in March.

The decision was taken on the basis of a few points that we want to share with you.

1. Health grounds – for attendees, their colleagues attending alongside them, and their families and patients on their return home. The risks associated with health are too great. EAS could have been seen to be negligent in its duty of care to its attendees, if a decision was not taken. Imagine the scenario of a “hot-spot” evolving in Malta just before Congress, or that one person carrying the virus was to spread it to other attendees. Everyone at Congress could have been quarantined in Malta for 14 days.

 

2. Access to Malta - it is becoming evident that Authorities are not able to guarantee that Malta could or would stay infection free. In fact, Covid-19 has now broken out in Malta with the first cases. 3rd Congress was less than 2 weeks away and as we have seen, a lot can change in 2 weeks with Corona virus. EAS could not take the risk that any decision to restrict further access to Malta would suddenly be imposed before Congress was due to start.

 

3. Quality of Congress - Cancellation and postponement requests were increasing day-by-day over the past week and it was becoming impossible to predict delegate numbers, speaker attendance, and company participation. All of these issues would have impacted on Congress and its educational value.

 

What's next?

What does this mean for those of you who are still registered to 3^rd Congress?

 

If you are a Delegate

We offer you 2 OPTIONS:

OPTION 1 - STAY WITH US: Leave your registration fee with EAS, and you will have until July 1^st to check your availability; if you can make the new date, we will apply what you have paid to the new event, with no increase. All you need to do at this stage is to inform EAS that you want to stay with your registration - email office@eas-aligners.com  to confirm your registration.

OPTION 2 – ASK FOR A REFUND: If you can’t attend on the new dates, we will refund your registration fee less a 5% deduction to cover the administrative costs we have incurred to date with the venue and our Congress suppliers. The refund will be made once you have notified - office@eas-aligners.com

For those who booked a room @ Hilton, venue of the event, you can contact directly Hilton Malta: the Hilton is offering a full refund.

For airfare that every delegate has arranged, please contact your airline to arrange re-booking for the new dates. At this stage due to this world health emergency, the majority of airlines are acting responsibly allowing re-booking with a minimum administrative cost.

If you are a Company

We offer you 2 OPTIONS:

OPTION 1 - STAY WITH US: Leave your sponsorship / exhibition booking with EAS for the new 3rd Congress date of 26th to 28th November 2020. You will have until July 1^st to check your availability; if you can make the new date, we will apply what you have paid to the new event, with no increase. All you need to do at this stage is to inform EAS that you want to stay with your registration - email office@eas-aligners.com - to confirm your participation.

OPTION 2 – ASK FOR A REFUND: If you can’t attend on the new dates, we will refund your booking fee less a 5% deduction to cover the administrative costs we have incurred to date with the venue and our Congress suppliers. The refund will be made once you have notified - office@eas-aligners.com

 

For those who booked a room @ Hilton, venue of the event, you can contact directly Hilton Malta: the Hilton is offering a full refund.

Those Sponsors who had room allocations through the EAS block booking do not need to do anything. These booking will be carried over and can be confirmed by July 1^st.

For airfare that every delegate has arranged, please contact your airline to arrange re-booking for the new dates. At this stage due to this world health emergency, the majority of airlines are acting responsibly allowing re-booking with a minimum administrative cost.

We thank, in advance, all of you who have and will continue to support EAS in this difficult decision, which has been made in the interest of “health first” for all our colleagues.

Kind regards

EAS BOARD

 

FAQs:

 

MALTA:

The latest information and advice in Covid-19 in Malta can be found on the link:

https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/health-promotion/Pages/Novel-coronavirus.aspx

A good source of news is on the link:

https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/

Overall news, information on Corona Virus can be found at:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

 

EAS REGISTRATION:

 

1 - Can I leave my registration fees for 3^rd Congress March to be transferred to 3^rd Congress November?

YES. Leave your registration fee with EAS, and you will have until July 1st to check your availability; if you can make the new date, we will apply what you have paid to the new event, with no increase. All you need to do at this stage is to inform EAS that you want to stay with your registration - email office@eas-aligners.com - to confirm your registration.

 

2 - Can I take a refund of my fees from 3^rd Congress?

YES. If you can’t attend on the new dates, we will refund your registration fee less a 5% deduction to cover the administrative costs we have incurred to date with the venue and our Congress suppliers. The refund will be made once you have notified - office@eas-aligners.com - within 30 days from your answer.

 

3 - If I take a refund now, will I be able to re-register for the new Congress date at a later stage?

YES, but we cannot guarantee the same registration fee since EAS had to re-negotiate a contract with the congress Venue and all suppliers. This is why we are advising delegates to FREEZE their registration and make a decision before July 1^st.

 

4 - If I leave my registration after July 1^st, will there be an opportunity to cancel before the new Congress date?

Yes, you will be able to cancel but the cancellation policy will be 50% between July 2nd and October 15^th and no refund after October 15^th, 2020.

 

3^rd CONGRESS NOVEMBER 2020:

 

            1 - Will the program be the same?

EAS Congress Organising Committee is endeavouring to keep the same program agenda.

Thursday 26^th afternoon – pre-Congress courses and Assistants Program

Friday 27^th all day – plenary sessions

Saturday 28^th morning – Company workshops

Afternoon – plenary sessions.

 

2 - Will the speaker line-up be the same?

EAS Congress Organising Committee will do its best to get ALL the speakers back for November but it cannot be guaranteed at this stage, as speakers may have other commitments. An updated program will be published through EAS media channels (EAS website, and EAS 3^rd Congress App) within July 1st, 2020.

 

 

 

 

ACCOMODATION AND TRAVEL:

 

 

1 - Will I be able to get the same room rate at the Hilton Malta that was offered in March?

Yes, EAS has re-negotiated the same room rate for November and there will be a dedicated booking link once the re-organised Congress outline is completed. Moreover, the Hilton is offering a full refund in case you want to cancel your reservation in March.

 

2 - What if I booked another hotel / bed and breakfast / other accommodation in Malta?

Please contact the accommodation directly ASAP. Due to the present global health crisis, if you rebook to the new date, we trust good sense by the accommodation facility to accommodate your request either to re book or to be refunded with a minimum fee should you decide to cancel.

 

3 - Will I be able to get a reduction with Air Malta?

Its too early to negotiate a discount code with Air Malta but we are assured by the CEO of Air Malta that a discount will be available.

 

4 - Can I re-book my existing flight booked with Air Malta with the new dates?

Air Malta has activated a policy to facilitate changes in travellers’ itineraries, adding flexibility to previously set airfares. Please check:

https://www.airmalta.com/information/about/news-overview/news-detail/010-2020-en

 

5 - How do I handle flight reservations made with other companies?

Most airlines are currently allowing passengers to rebook with either no charge or minimum cancellation fee. Please check their website or contact directly your flight carrier for updates on their cancellation/flexibility policy in relation to Covid-19.