A face-to-face national congress experience during the COVID-19 pandemic: A report focussing on the risk of COVID-19 contamination

Background The Congress of the National College of Academic General Practitioners took place in France in June 2021. In total, 1300 participants were registered, provoking concerns about the risk of COVID-19 contamination. Objectives The study objective was to report participation in the first French face-to-face medical congress after restrictions due to COVID-19 and whether it resulted in COVID-19 contamination. Methods We performed two web-based surveys of respectively 46 and 33 questions. The first questionnaire was sent to all congress participants during the congress (and to a panel of non-participants) and investigated demographic characteristics, medical conditions, behaviours related to COVID-19 contamination risk, and the interest of face-to-face congress as compared to virtual congress. Two weeks after the congress, a questionnaire was addressed to the same population and to university General Practice departments to identify incident COVID-19 cases among participants. Results A total of 1001 general practitioners and residents completed the first questionnaire; 752 participated in the congress. The respondents were mainly women (61.3%), with a mean age of 35 (SD 10) years, 96.2% had been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, and 11.4% considered themselves at risk for a severe form of COVID-19 for medical reasons. Concerning the interest in attending the congress face-to-face, mean score was 9 over 10 (SD 1.5). No case of COVID-19 was reported among participants according to the second questionnaire (449 respondents). Conclusion During a world pandemic, even participants considering themselves at risk came to a medical congress, highlighting the networking and social aspects of a face-to-face congress.

Automated summary

This study reports on the participation in the first French face-to-face medical congress after COVID-19 restrictions and whether it resulted in COVID-19 contamination. The findings highlight the importance of networking and social aspects of a face-to-face congress, as even participants considering themselves at risk attended the congress.