São Paulo, March 19, 2020
In recent weeks, the São Paulo Society of Radiology and Image Diagnosis (SPR) has closely monitored, with all its professionalism and seriousness, the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and in the world. As a medical entity, the SPR has always been concerned about the impact of the pandemic on the health of the population, as well as on the sustainability of the public and private health systems in the face of a possible overload of care, including assessing the effects of this crisis on the healthcare sector. Diagnostic Imaging.
As the organizer of the Paulista Day of Radiology, the SPR faced all these same concerns, and a series of other difficult and delicate issues, since the realization (or not) of the JPR has implications for thousands of people who participate (or even depend) in some way on the event: SPR members, other congressmen, national and foreign professors, exhibitors, suppliers, visitors, collaborators, receptionists, etc. As a company, SPR also needed to assess the impacts of the various possible decisions, including on its own sustainability, since the entity is an asset of all members, and we have other ongoing projects, in addition to JPR, which require constant investments. It took some time, then, to evaluate with maturity and discernment what would be the best decision to be taken, bearing in mind all these roles of the SPR and the benefit of the greatest possible number of people.
Time soon became scarce, as the pandemic scenario in Brazil deteriorated dramatically, and decision-making could no longer wait. In light of this context, yesterday, March 18th, at the headquarters of the SPR, after several meetings of the SPR Crisis Committee, the Executive Board and the Advisory Board made up of former presidents, after an extensive and painful process of plural decision-making, he pondered sure that:
- The scientific evidence recorded so far makes it clear that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is highly spread in large crowds, and JPR traditionally gathers thousands of participants;
- The recent and tragic experience of China and Italy, added to the exponential increase in numbers in Brazil since the last week, indicate that it is necessary to adopt drastic and immediate measures in the country to curb the number of cases, and that means, among others things, keeping people in their homes;
- On Tuesday, March 17, the São Paulo City Hall published a decree in which it revokes the operating permits already granted to private events, and informs that it will no longer grant new permits;
- The Brazilian Medical Association (AMB), a class entity to which the SPR is linked through the Brazilian College of Radiology and Image Diagnosis - CBR (Scientific Department) and the Paulista Association of Medicine - APM (Federated Society), sent in a statement official dated March 18 with the recommendation that affiliated medical entities not hold events for ninety (90) days;
- The Transamerica Expo Center (TEC), the venue for the Jornada Paulista de Radiologia, does not have another date available for holding the JPR in the second half of the year. We remind you that the event is a large one, occupying all TEC pavilions, for ten (10) days, including assembly, realization and disassembly;
- The calendar of events for the second semester is already quite committed to other previously confirmed courses and congresses, from other medical entities, many with which the SPR maintains partnerships, and in respect of these, overlapping dates was not considered under any circumstances;
- Carry out the JPR in a reduced or partial format, with a smaller number of participants, on any available date as long as it does not conflict with the events already scheduled, but which will probably still be a moment of fear and discomfort in moving or traveling, and even in a scenario the economic crisis, which unfortunately, given the severity of the last few weeks, may take months or years to recover, does not meet the expectations of SPR's partner exhibitors regarding the performance of the Jornada Paulista de Radiologia;
- The benefit of scientific updating offered by JPR, something so important to the mission of the SPR and necessary for its members, many of whom remain affiliated just to enjoy the benefit of exemption from registration in the event, can and will be recovered with a new project a Virtual Congress, in which SPR directors and collaborators are already working, and which will be released within thirty (30) days;
- Financial losses, whatever the decision, will be inevitable; but, having the scientific certainty that this sad episode of the COVID-19 pandemic will pass, more important than protecting the company SPR within a year is to preserve the event Jornada Paulista de Radiologia in all the years to come;
After all these considerations, the São Paulo Society of Radiology and Image Diagnosis (SPR) decided, with great sadness, but at the same time a lot of courage, to cancel the 50th Paulista Day of Radiology (JPR 2020), which would take place from April 30 to May 3, at the Transamerica Expo Center.
With this detailed announcement, SPR seeks, in a true and committed way, to signal to all those involved that, in the end, the trust that exists in the relationship built over many years with all the audiences that make the Journey was valued above all else. happen so successfully every year.
Following the guidelines of public health bodies and municipal and state governments, SPR will be, in the next two weeks, with its entire structure of employees in a home office system. If you have questions, suggestions or requests, please contact us through the relationship channels available on the SPR website. All will be answered and guided as soon as possible.
Finally, SPR would like to thank everyone who, until this moment, was part, in some way, of the 50th Paulista Day of Radiology (JPR 2020). The scientific program prepared by the coordinators was at a very high level, hundreds of scientific papers were submitted and approved, professors were already working in their classes, the exhibitors' stands and the Innovation, Ultrasound and Intervention Villages were magnificent. Journey was amazing. It is with this success in mind that we move forward, with the commitment to make an even better Journey in 2021, and asking for everyone's support from now on.
Yours sincerely,
Board of Paulista Society of Radiology and Imaging Diagnosis (SPR)