Mobile World Congress will go ahead as planned in Barcelona later this month, but the annual event will be a much less friendlier place this time around.
Due to rising concerns regarding the threat of the coronavirus, the GSMA is advising all MWC 2020 attendees to adopt a no-handshake policy during the event, which will kick off on February 24 and run until February 27.
The new safety measures added this week include microphone changes between speakers and on-site signage warning alerting attendees to the hygiene recommendations. They join in-place measures such as increased cleaning and disinfecting of all touchpoints, on-site medical support, awareness and training to all staff, and advice to exhibitors.
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Considering the number of exhibitors, representatives and mobile enthusiasts traditionally making the journey to Barcelona from China and the Far East, there will be inevitably concern about the increased risk of the illness spreading. It’s also possible large numbers of folks planning to make the journey to sunny Spain will not be able to make the journey due to travel restrictions.
Updated GSMA Statement on Coronavirus https://t.co/xXs3TMKuA0 pic.twitter.com/k73y2FtVys
— GSMA (@GSMA) February 4, 2020
In an announcement on Tuesday, the GSMA said it is “building on its existing plans to protect the health of our attendees, clients and staff at MWC Barcelona. GSMA colleagues around the world are taking strong measures to contain and lessen any further spread of the virus. These measures include adhering to advice from the WHO and other health authorities, respecting travel restrictions where they exist, arriving early in Spain to allow time for self-quarantine and ensuring access to masks.”
Coronavirus or no coronavirus, Trusted Reviews will be out in force to bring you the very latest smartphone releases from the world’s top smartphone manufacturers. We’re expecting a load of new flagship phone launches from the likes of Sony, Huawei, Xiaomi and more. We might be a little, shall we say, hands off though.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.