Our first virtual Public Health Expo is full of fun surprises

A highlight of any APHA Annual Meeting is time spent browsing Public Health Expo booths, picking up fun public health souvenirs and chatting with friendly exhibitors.

How’s that going to work for an all-virtual meeting? You might not be able to grab an apple-shaped stress ball from a nutrition booth or play live spin-the-wheel public health trivia alongside a cheering crowd, but this year’s Virtual Public Health Expo is pretty cool.

Giveaways include all kinds of nifty Zoom backgrounds (like “I Stand With Public Health” from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and “Public Health Nerd” from the de Beaumont Foundation). You can grab some free “I Love Public Health” swag from APHA’s Membership crew. Schools like the University of Michigan have shown up with an impressive array of spirit wear, including Spartan face masks.

Once you’ve logged into the Expo, click on “My Planner” and check out the “Products/Giveaways/Promotions Gallery.” That’s the place to purchase APHA Press books and our “Vote for Health T-shirt” as well as download educational pamphlets, reports and more.

Registered Annual Meeting attendees can log in to the Expo at any time, and these open hours give you the chance to set appointments to talk with exhibitors, attend their special events and explore booths:

• Sunday, Oct. 25 — 1:30 - 5:30 p.m. (MT)
• Monday, Oct. 26 — 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. (MT)
• Tuesday, Oct. 27 — 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. (MT)
• Wednesday, Oct. 28 — 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. (MT)

You can find exhibitors by searching the Interactive Floor Plan or the Exhibitor List. Each exhibitor’s booth includes ways to connect that include sending a message and making a one-on-one appointment using the calendar icon.

This year’s Expo is also featuring a free four-day event for students, who can meet with schools and programs of public health and ask questions. Check out the full Student/School Connection schedule. The event runs today through Wednesday afternoon.

For all you social media fans, the APHA Play Scavenger Hunt is a fun way to share your APHA 2020 experiences, meet new attendees and exhibitors, and maybe win a prize. Check out the rules and be sure to use #APHAPlay and #APHA2020 in each post.

Photos: I Love Public Health Swag Giveaway featured at APHA Membership Booth #530A, and educational materials for sale from ETR Booth #919