UAF postpones One Health conference

The University of Alaska Fairbanks will postpone this week’s One Health, One Future conference due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19. The conference was scheduled for March 11-14 in Fairbanks.

There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alaska. However, due to public health concerns, worldwide travel restrictions, and a rapidly evolving situation, the university decided to postpone the international conference, which was expected to draw more than 300 scientists and policymakers to UAF this week.

“As the conference organizers, the health and safety of our attendees, partners and the community is our top priority,” said Arleigh Reynolds, director of UAF’s Center for One Health Research. “At this time we determined it was unwise to continue as planned.”

In making the decision, the university consulted with state public health officials and reviewed current guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The conference team will refund conference registration fees. The university hopes to reschedule the One Health, One Future conference after the COVID-19 situation has stabilized.

“One Health remains a high priority for UAF and for communities across the Arctic and worldwide,” Reynolds said. “We will continue our collaborations virtually and hope to welcome our partners to UAF when we host the rescheduled conference at some point in the future.”