ECR 2020 will be online-only due to coronavirus

The 2020 edition of the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) in Vienna, which had been postponed due to safety concerns regarding COVID-19, will not take place on site this year.

Update, April 9:

Instead, the congress organisers at the European Society of Radiology (ESR) opt for an online-only event: "It is with a heavy heart and much regret that the Board of Directors of the European Society of Radiology has decided not to hold an onsite European Congress of Radiology in 2020. In our continued commitment to our congress attendees, we are pleased to announce that ECR 2020 will go ahead as an online congress taking place on July 15-19, 2020. As you can imagine, this serious decision was not taken easily. The choice not to hold ECR 2020 onsite presents a significant burden for the European Society of Radiology and will also influence future congresses and endeavours. However, as a medical community, we have a social responsibility to our members, partners, staff and the general public. In the current crisis, the ESR must lead by example, and it is clear that your safety will always be our No.1 priority and we sincerely hope for your understanding and support of our decision."

A full statement on the decision can be found on the ESR website (PDF).

Initially, the organisers tried to maintain an onsite event by pushing back the congress date from March to July:

"After careful evaluation of the spreading coronavirus epidemic, and considering the recent statements issued by the WHO and the ECDC, and the related evolving world-wide restrictions and crisis, the ESR was forced to make this decision", the congress organisers at the European Society of Radiology (ESR) write. "Above all, we have analysed the recommendations from the Austrian health authorities for large-scale events and came to the conclusion that we are not in a position to fulfil their requirements and guarantee a safe congress for our participants and industry partners at this time. The safety, health and well-being of our delegates and partners will always be the highest priority for the ESR."

The majority of our industry partners have already expressed their ongoing commitment and are fully on board for ECR 2020 in July.
Boris Brkljačić

The congress was originally scheduled to take place on March 11-15 in Vienna. The ESR already announced a new date for the postponement: The ECR will now take place on July 15-19, 2020. "This postponement is a fully equivalent replacement for the planned event", ESR President Boris Brkljačić emphasises.

People who booked for the event will not need to renew their registration, as these will remain in place for the new congress date. Additionally, registration for new attendants remains open.

"We would like to express our sincere thanks to our participants and industry partners for their understanding, continuous support and flexibility", the organising team states and also addresses the issue of attending companies: "The majority of our industry partners have already expressed their ongoing commitment and are fully on board for ECR 2020 in July."

In the announcement, Brkljačić expresses confidence that, despite the "turbulent and challenging times", the entire ESR and ECR team will do their best to respond to any query as soon as possible and "to make ECR 2020 a spectacular and memorable event for all".

Source: European Society of Radiology

04.03.2020