Protocols for a Safer Reopening, August 2021

Drawing on their professional expertise in the fields of medicine and public health, our Safer Reopening Advisory Committee approves the following protocols to allow T’chiyah members to gather in-person over this summer.

Note: We expect to adjust these protocols as conditions like community spread, vaccination rates, spread of variants, and other variables change.  

• In-person gatherings are open to members only.
• Gatherings will be held outdoors.
• All attendees are expected to be fully vaccinated, if they are able to be. We will not be requiring documentation of vaccination status, but will be based on an honor system.
• Attendees are expected to MASK and DISTANCE. Organizers will do their best to set up accordingly.
• As always, please be respectful of people’s bodily autonomy and consent, especially when it comes to children. You might feel ready for hugs, but don’t assume that others are. 
• For now, no food will be served. You are welcome to bring your own water bottle and snacks as needed for yourself and family. If you need to eat, please take extra distance to protect the more vulnerable in our community.  

Some of these protocols intentionally go beyond the recommendations from the CDC to provide an added degree of safety for our congregants. 

We are especially concerned with protecting children who are not (yet) able to be vaccinated, older adults whose vaccinations may be less effective, and disabled and immunocompromised members. Even as we are confident in the 95% efficacy rate of the vaccines, this extra protection helps create redundancy in our safety net, so that if one element is compromised (i.e. if someone needs to unmask momentarily), we are still in relative safety.   

We want to put these protocols into place so that we can make the most of the summer weather in the safest way possible. 

Even if you are comfortable with less stringent practices in your personal life, please take on this minhag ha-makom (community custom) of khumra (doing more than what is required) when you participate with T’chiyah, to help create a communal space that is as safe, supportive, and comfortable as can be for our attendees.