In-person events are back. Mobile World Congress did it and the Consumer Electronics Show is going to do it too. But CES 2022 has a new requirement that we haven’t really seen anyone pushing as yet — you’ll have to provide proof of vaccination if you’re planning to attend.

A stab at CES 2022

The head of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Gary Shapiro said in a statement that “We all play a part in ending the pandemic through encouraging vaccinations and implementing the right safety protocols. We are taking on our responsibility by requiring proof of vaccination to attend CES 2022 in Las Vegas.”

Basically, if you want to head to Las Vegas from 5 to 8 January 2022 and play with all the lovely electronic toys in person, you have to prove that you’ve had your jabs. Happily, that might make South African attendees eligible, because our own vaccination program has finally started rolling along nicely. But, more likely, we’ll wind up attending digitally at next year’s parallel event, designed for the paranoid and those who aren’t paid in dollars.

The CTA is also considering, but hasn’t confirmed, accepting proof of a positive COVID-19 antibody test in lieu of proof of vaccination. Next year’s event will “…highlight advancements in AI, AR/VR, gaming and computing, digital health, automotive and transportation, home entertainment, smart home and more,” according to the CTA.