Welcome news and air purifiers
We're asked fairly frequently if it's safe for choirs or congregational singing. The answer, according to our friends at Those Nerdy Girls, is that singing isn't risk-free, but it's certainly possible to make it safer!
As I explained last week, COVID is spread by tiny droplets called aerosols, and talking or singing are great ways to spread those aerosols. So there is risk in singing, and you should take that risk seriously. At the same time, it's possible to lower the chances that droplets will spread and infect members of your community. Bottom line, according to the nerdy girls:
With community levels of transmission decreasing, it is reasonable to consider singing together but the goal is still to make it safer not only for the singers but also for people attending performances.
Here are a few practices that choir associations are recommending:
- Do space out performers so that they have at least 3 feet between them and 6 feet in areas of higher transmission.
- Do limit the number of performers.
- Do encourage humming, moving, clapping for members of the audience in place of singing.
- Do increase ventilation in places where people are singing and try to limit time together for practice and/or performances (30 minutes is recommended).
- Do sing outdoors when possible!
- Do have performers wear masks if your population is at higher risk or if many people are not vaccinated.
- Do have attendees wear masks if you are in areas of higher transmission and/or many people will not be vaccinated or are at higher risk.
- Do encourage regular testing (rapid antigen) before performance events for performers and/or at regular intervals (weekly).
- Do encourage vaccination as we know it decreases the risk of developing COVID-19!
There is (at least) one other mitigation to consider, suggested by faithful reader Rev. Miranda Hassett of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Madison. It's called a Corsi-Rosenthal cube, and, well, I'll let Miranda explain:
A Corsi-Rosenthal cube or box is a homemade air purifier that costs about $90 in materials, and takes about an hour to make. They’re very effective and have been widely tested and used for Covid mitigation in lots of contexts. They’re great for homes, classrooms, meeting rooms, and so on. You can read all about how they were developed, how they work, their effectiveness, and how to make your own here: https://cleanaircrew.org/box-fan-filters/. Our church senior high youth group built one a couple of months ago for the youth space.
Here’s a picture of the process and the result!
