As most of you are aware, the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has become the predominant form of the virus (>78%) in the United States, MA included, and is responsible for yet another surge in numbers of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. The surge has generally been most marked in areas of the county where vaccination rates are low. The Delta variant can also be spread through vaccinated people who are asymptomatic and cause disease in unvaccinated people. Based on these considerations, the CDC recently issued updated guidance calling for masking for indoor activities for BOTH vaccinated and unvaccinated people in areas of the country with ‘high’ or ‘substantial’ community transmission rates.
Note that just this week most of MA moved from the ‘moderate’ to the ‘substantial’ category (42.9-86.0 new cases per 100,000 in 7 days) with small, but clear increases in the numbers of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths, and a rising proportion of tests turning out positive. See below and COVID-19 Response Reporting | Mass.gov.
With this information in hand, the Re-Opening Task Force is making some recommendations to modify our current guidelines for in-person services and meetings inside any of the church buildings. Because these guidelines have become a moving target, we are re-issuing the current guidance and the changes, hoping to minimize confusion despite the fluidity of this pandemic.
- Attendance in the Sanctuary will remain at 100 (worship leaders and congregants) and 50 in the Chapel. Sign-up will not be required. Masking is mandatory.
- Congregation may recite responses and prayers (masked) but may not sing.
- Soloists, clergy and lay readers must be masked except when reading /speaking /singing.
- Seating will be distanced (every other pew) and the first row of pews will also be roped off.
- Collection plates will be placed by the doors.
- Modified Communion on 9/5.
- Modified Community Hour on the lawn.
- Meetings (any number of attendees) must be masked.
We will continue to livestream the services at 10:00 am on Sunday mornings and make recordings available via the website, YouTube, and Facebook by Sunday afternoon.
Let us remind you that as part of the renovations we did over the past two years, we
installed air filters and UVB devices to remove and inactivate bacteria and viruses from the air circulating in the Sanctuary. This provides an additional layer of protection to the practices of masking, distancing, and vaccination.
Although we had been hoping to get back to ‘normal’ by Rally Day (9/12), it is too early to predict the course of the Delta surge. The Re-Opening Task Force intends to meet again during the last two weeks of August to re-assess the situation, and meanwhile will be following the public health data and the recommendations from the CDC as the summer progresses.
We are looking forward to seeing you in the Sanctuary!
