Updated January 31, 2022
Two years have passed since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Australia. This year, many restrictions have loosened. Public gatherings are allowed, with several venues opening and accommodating people for weddings, parties, and other celebrations. The quick response of the Australian federal and state governments has enabled events and hospitality businesses like Adept Photo Booths to operate as “normal.”
Photo booths are not only integrally linked to the events industry. However, they traditionally encourage guests to get close together for photos, increasing the risk for COVID-spreading of an already highly contagious virus.
At Adept Photo Booths, we recognise our role in containing the virus. Everyone’s safety is of utmost importance. We believe that we can accomplish this role through the continuous support and understanding of clients and staff. At the same time, we can ensure that guests at events can have an amazing time and do not miss out on all of the joys that events and photo booths can provide.
Despite the easing of certain restrictions, we are all advised to stay on high alert. This is especially true with the emergence of the Omicron variant that continues to spread quickly in many parts of the country, including Western Australia.
As the new year opens, and we are about to face unknown challenges, we would like to ask for your cooperation by following these guidelines:
1) Mask Requirements
Please be fully aware that masks should be worn in high-risk indoor settings, including event locations.
The law also requires everyone who has visited Perth, Peel, and Rottnest Island since 6 January 2022 to wear a mask whenever they are in public indoor settings. Mask wearing should be followed for the next two weeks after leaving the mentioned regions.
Exemptions apply to those who have medical conditions, as well as younger children. Please check here to learn if you are exempted from wearing a mask.
2) Proof of Vaccination
There is a current mandate to provide proof of vaccination in all public venues in Perth and Peel. These venues include nightclubs, pubs, taverns, and hotels. We ask our customers to bring their proof of vaccination when they enter their preferred location if it has a capacity of more than 500 people. Events held in venues that are legally allowed to operate after midnight also require participants to carry their proof of vaccination.
Suppose your event is held at a smaller venue with a capacity of 250 people or more. In that case, you should have your proof of vaccination if the place has an occasional liquor licence.
In line with this requirement, you will be asked to provide vaccination proof, either on paper or in digital form. Please do not forget to bring your ID, as well, to avoid event cancellation.
3) Physical Touch and Social Distancing
Adept Photo Booths aim to help make your event free from worry, stress, and touch. That’s right. All our photo booths have the capability to operate completely touch-free. Our staff will take care of running any of our equipment on-site, so you and your guests will not be at risk.
Bear in mind that physical props will also not be available due to the ongoing efforts of reducing touch points as much as possible. But no worries! We have a selection of digital pops, so leave us a message and let us know how you would like to have them incorporated into your photo booth experience.
As for social distancing, the regulations are not as strict as before. However, we still encourage physical distancing whenever possible. The event location will have its own social distancing rules, which the patrons are required to follow.
Please note that the allowed crowd density is the same as the pre-COVID directive, which is about one sqm per person. The local government can change and set its own conditions for patron caps at any given time. That said, we may still implement our existing queue management practice where spots are marked, indicating a 1.5 metre distance between people who want to use the photo booth.
4) Contact Tracing
You and your guests are requested to check in at businesses and venues you visit, including your event location. Contact registers are mandatory regardless of the size and location of your event. You can download the SafeWA App for Apple devices or Android. Having the app does not exempt you from providing your personal information to a paper-based system on-site.
5) Hygiene and Ventilation Considerations
As per usual, cleanliness and sanitation are crucial for Adept Photo Booths. That’s why we ensure every piece of equipment will be sanitised before and after any event. We provide a sanitiser spray to all staff members who operate the equipment. Spraying on equipment will be performed whenever our staff deems necessary.
Outdoor venues are believed to have lower COVID transmission rates than indoor venues, including enclosed marquees. When looking for a venue for your event, we recommend that you select one that offers sufficient ventilation to prevent potential COVID spread.
6) Staff Training and Education
Adept Photo Booths take pride in having highly trained and socially aware event staff. They know our photo booths inside out while staying informed regarding relevant COVID guidelines. Each personnel at your event will ensure that proper equipment use, sanitisation and hygiene, and appropriate social distancing regulations are followed to a T. For your convenience, there is always a manager on call to provide advice or help with any safety or relevant issue that may arise.
7) Compliance and Legal Obligations
We take everyone’s safety seriously. That’s why Adept Photo Booths continually monitor COVID-related rules and regulations as imposed by the state. Public venues and private residences are subject to unique guidelines, which we are committed to adhering to at all times, no matter the size and location of the event. Please note that policies are applied based on the time of the event and not the time of booking.
Whilst we do not have direct control over the venue and your guests’ actions, our staff will be there to ensure order within the photo booth area professionally and proactively. We have two proposed response options for these situations if they feel at risk due to your guests’ actions or if specific guidelines are not being followed. One is to reach a resolution with the event organiser, and the other is to simply pack up and leave the event.
8) Response Planning
Adept Photo Booths intend to work with the government and health organisations in helping to minimise COVID spread as much as we can. One of our ongoing practices is to require event organisers to immediately notify us, preferably one working day after the event, if any of our staff has been potentially exposed to a COVID positive case.
We also keep accurate and up-to-date records of staff movements, which help in tracking COVID transmission. This is part of our commitment to transparency and will therefore inform event organisers without delay should any of our staff be diagnosed COVID positive.
We do not, however, have the responsibility to inform guests, suppliers, attendees, and other affected parties of the event. Nevertheless, it is our duty to report any confirmed COVID cases to relevant authorities. We intend to cooperate fully and provide all records necessary for contact tracing.
That said, we would like to ask you to be truthful if you have visited locations with confirmed cases (see the list here) or have been exposed to anyone with COVID prior to booking. If so, you are required by law to get tested and self-isolate if found to have been positive. Please call 13 COVID (13 26843) immediately.
As the battle against COVID is still ongoing, we advise everyone to stay updated with the government rules and regulations by visiting https://www.wa.gov.au/government/covid-19-coronavirus/covid-19-coronavirus-what-you-can-and-cant-do.
With your support in adhering to the above conditions, we are confident that we can deliver a safe and enjoyable photo booth experience.
If you have any questions about an existing booking or are planning an event and unsure whether a photo booth would be appropriate, please feel free to give us a call on 0408 899 834.
We are in this business for the long haul, so we will not compromise your safety, or ours, in our assessment of the best photo experience for your event.
Thank you for your support and encouragement during this time. A crisis is known to bring both the best and worst out of people. We are so proud to say that we believe that all of our staff, clients, and community have rallied together to combat the Coronavirus together and will reap the rewards of returning to ‘normal’, albeit a new normal, sooner than most.