Coronavirus shuts US contractors’ event

USA: The coronavirus has forced the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) to cancel its 2020 Annual Conference and Expo, which was due to begin on Monday.

The event, slated for March 16-18 in St Louis, has been cancelled after the city of St Louis yesterday declared a public health emergency, prohibiting large public events until further notice. 

“We were really hoping to see this year’s conference through,” said Barton James, ACCA president and CEO. We have members and contractors who look forward to this event every year, and while we are disappointed by the events unfolding in St Louis, the safety and well-being of our members and attendees remain our top priority.

“For the past couple of weeks, ACCA’s board of directors and events committee have been monitoring events around the country,” said Eric Knaak, ACCA chairman of the board. “The decision to cancel this year’s conference did not come lightly, but was necessary, especially with the recent announcement from the city of St Louis.”