Virtual Events are Back for 2021, Though There are Questions Around Their Relative Value

Despite the good news about COVID-19 vaccines, it’s clear the pandemic is far from over. For communicators, a major question is when will the business world exit the pandemic? Similarly, when can business travel and events restart safely in the US and abroad?

The answer to these questions depends on reaching herd immunity via vaccines. Unfortunately, scientists don’t agree on the percentage of the population that constitutes herd immunity.

For example, Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, admitted estimates he’s offered, ranging from 70 to 90 percent of the population, are just that–estimates. “We have to realize that we have to be humble and realize what we don’t know. These are pure estimates,” Fauci told CNN Dec. 27.