Since our last update, the Re-opening Task Force has continued to compile the growing scientific and governmental information related to Covid-19 and to meet to help guide the Board of Trustees in its response to the situation. Our primary concern continues to be our members and friends who wish to congregate in our building, which is relatively small, confined, and not well-ventilated. Given the age of our building and the expense of retro-fitting it to safely allow more fresh-air circulation, we have continued to hold most meetings, including our Sunday platforms, online instead of in-person since March 2020.
We will continue to provide our Sunday platform experience via Zoom for the foreseeable future. We developed a hybrid model in the fall, with two outdoor platforms. We used a reservation system to allow limited in-person attendees while the majority of attendees were present via Zoom. That successful model, including a reservation system, will be applied to the Sunday platforms in the meetinghouse as in-person attendance indoors becomes viable.
The Task Force has looked at a phased approach to getting back into the building. With the advent of successful vaccines, a subset of activities may soon be held in person. These activities would be small-group meetings, committee meetings, or small groups wishing to sing or be recorded singing. If 100% of the people in the room are vaccinated, then the activity can be in person with masking and distancing protocols. These activities still carry some risk, however, so the task force will continue to discuss the impact of other variables and develop steps for a safe return to full use of our meetinghouse. The consensus of the Re-Opening Task Force is that vaccine compliance is going to be the primary condition that will allow us to get back together in person.
Currently, access to the building continues to be highly limited. We continue to track who is in the building to monitor person-to-person contact. Rhymes & Reasons continues to rent their space, with around two dozen children and accompanying staff, with state-mandated safety precautions, and have no reported cases to date; they will report to us if anyone receives a positive virus test.
Susan Lesh, president
