COVID-19

Dear International Thermochronology Community:

[Updated August 25, 2021]

We hope you are all safe and healthy. As we press forward with an in-person meeting that will be a welcome return from more than a year of primarily remote contact, we are continuing to keep close track of the COVID-19 situation in New Mexico, the US, and the world; although there has been remarkable progress, much suffering continues, and much uncertainty remains, particularly with the onset of the Delta variant.

We are very pleased to report that New Mexico ranks among the top US states in terms of COVID-19 vaccination; at this writing, the vaccination rate in Santa Fe County is over 74%. Furthermore, our venue has affirmed their commitment to providing a safe space. The spacious meeting facilities in normal times can accommodate 700 people, whereas we are expecting ~100, allowing for ample distancing, as well as isolation from other events at the Eldorado occurring during meeting days. There is a small outdoor patio attached to the conference space that some will be able to use for dining, and we hope to hold some conference events in the open-air rooftop patio.

All meeting activities will be conducted in keeping with whatever COVID-19-related guidelines the New Mexico Department of Health has in place at the time of the meeting. The Thermo2021 Organizing Committee may also implement additional safety policies, depending on the situation at that time.

Current New Mexico health policy is that people are required to wear face masks in all public indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status. In keeping with this policy, we anticipate that we will require masking while indoors, except when presenting talks and eating and drinking.

We are also asking that anyone attending Thermo2021 be fully vaccinated (two weeks past final shot), as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s vaccination guidelines.

As the meeting draws closer, we will continue to work to keep the conference web site (www.thermo2021.us) up to date with the latest developments and policies.

Take care,

Rich Ketcham and Danny Stockli