After careful consideration, the difficult decision has been made to cancel the ACC’s Scientific Session Together with World Congress of Cardiology (ACC.20/WCC) scheduled to take place March 28-30, 2020 in Chicago.
The decision to cancel this important event was not taken lightly. WHF and ACC have been closely monitoring updates and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as state and local governments. In the last week, we also learned of the increasing number of travel advisories and restrictions being placed on health care providers and hospitals and institutions in the U.S. and globally.
“The health, safety and well-being of our members, staff, exhibitors, faculty and other stakeholders is of paramount importance,” said ACC President Richard J. Kovacs, MD, FACC. “With an ever-increasing number of ACC members on the front lines of preparing and reacting to the COVID-19 outbreak, it is in the best interest of everyone to cancel the meeting and ensure our members are able to do what they do best – help and heal.”
WHF President Prof Karen Sliwa added: “The rapid spread of COVID-19 has become a cause for concern on a global scale and we, as health professionals, must act responsibly to ensure the wellbeing of our congress delegates, their patients and communities. We fully support ACC’s decision and will do everything we can to help mitigate the impact of cancellation so close to the event. Many of you will share our sadness with the current situation but also our readiness to focus on helping vulnerable populations and health systems cope with the crisis.”
ACC has prepared an initial FAQ document to help with answering travel, refund and other questions for attendees. This document will continue to be updated. In the meantime, we remain at your disposal for any further questions.
