Health & Covid Protocol

Adopted, Fall 2023.  Re-approved, Jan. 2025.

Contagious  diseases - Covid, flu, colds - are a concern for many of our members. To keep us all healthy,  please do not attend Shir Hadash activities in person if you have any symptoms of a contagious illness.

This policy articulates the havurah's norms for behavior related to Covid.  They are intended to minimize Covid transmission while fostering broad participation in havurah activities.

1. General Principles

   1. People should be guided by common sense, consideration of others, and community public health standards.

   2. These guidelines pertain to all events sponsored by the havurah where the central activity takes place largely or entirely indoors.

   3. Events sponsored by the havurah that are hosted at individuals' homes must adhere to these guidelines or stricter practices, at the discretion of the host(s).

   4. For the sake of clarity, it is noted that the guidelines do not cover gatherings of havurah members in an individual's home at which attendance is not open to the havurah as a whole.  For example, a gathering of someone's friends in the havurah to watch a Saturday morning service.

   5. Guidelines are subject to revision according to community levels of Covid risk.

2. Masks

   1. Wearing a mask is encouraged but not required, for people who are free of indication of Covid (symptoms, exposure, test results).

   2. People who have Covid-type symptoms or had known or possible exposure within the past 10 days and who have negative results may be present but are required to mask (see 3.2). 

   3. Service leaders or others who need to be heard and don't have an indication may remove their mask during the time they need to be heard.

3. Symptoms & Testing

   1. A person who has new or worsening Covid-type symptoms may not be present.

   2. A person who had known or possible exposure within the past 10 days is expected to meet the following test criteria: CDC guidance on testing.
      If the person has solely negative results (repeat tests at least 48 hours apart), they may be present but are required to mask.
      If they have a positive result or only 1 negative result, they may not be present.

   3. A person who has ongoing Covid-type symptoms, which the person believes are ascribable to a chronic condition, should consider complying with testing as outlined in the point regarding exposure.  The person should err on the side of caution in interpreting the cause of the symptoms.

   4. Event organizers reserve the ability to exclude someone who has symptoms that possibly are Covid.

4. Eating

   1. Eating is generally permitted.  While someone is not eating, masking is encouraged.

   2. Kiddushes should provide space for people who are especially concerned about Covid to enjoy the kiddush.

5. Non-members

   1. Everyone, member or not, attending a havurah event is expected to adhere to these guidelines.  Members who invite someone should inform their guest.

   2. Policy for events with another congregation will be decided jointly.

6. Adjudication

If an individual or event organizer has question about acceptable behavior, the question should be submitted to the Covid Advisors.