COVID Policy
UU Society of Amherst Covid-19 Building Use Policy
Revised September 3, 2024
This policy is based on the following principles outlined by the UUA:
As a faith community, we root our decisions in the values of inclusion and consent.
- We follow the science.
- We will go slow and be flexible.
- We remain humane and realistic with expectations of ourselves and others.
Our COVID policy is now based on up-to-date tracking of Amherst wastewater testing to determine the threat of COVID infections within our community. This testing is being done by the Town of Amherst Public Health Department, and is posted to their website. The Public health Department is only testing in the Amherst system, not surrounding towns. Our policy was previously based on county-wide reporting from the BioBot Analytics COVID-19 website, which is no longer available. However, the Town of Amherst data gives us a good indicator for the vast majority of our community, given that smaller towns in the area do not conduct wastewater testing.
If wastewater tests remain below 1,000,000 copies/Liter in Amherst, the UUSA will remain in Low or Green risk level. Increased risk will prompt immediate implementation of more stringent limits.
We will balance the need to be together and see each other with the need to take care of one another.
Low Risk: Mask Optional (wastewater tests < 1,000,000 copies/Liter)
Masks are optional within the entire sanctuary. Anyone with signs of illness or who has been recently exposed to COVID should refrain from attending service in person. We will use air purifiers (set on turbo) and open windows (when weather allows) to reduce the spreading of viruses. |
Medium Risk: Mask Required (1,000,000-1,999,000 copies/Liter)
Require mask use and ventilation. Check in with participants for their needs. Would they be more comfortable online or outdoors? What do they need from the group to be present? |
NOTE: As of September 2024, the requirement to mask at the Medium risk level applies only to services and functions held in the sanctuary. We would not expect children in Religious Education classrooms or people in our social hall to mask if we hit the Medium Risk level.
High Risk: Move Programs Out of Building (>2,000,000 copies/ml)
The Board of Trustees will call a special meeting to determine appropriate action, which may include conducting services online and/or pausing RE programming depending on the trend of local infections and hospitalizations. |
For all risk levels
Always |
Expect vaccination of all who are eligible. Require up-to-date vaccination for staff and anyone who works with children. Provide high-quality masks. Offer meaningful engagement online for those who cannot attend in person. |
Do not come inside the building or to other programming, if you; |
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● Are exhibiting possible Covid-19 symptoms (fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea). ● Have tested positive for Covid-19 or within 10 days of testing positive. ● Have a member of your household who is exhibiting possible symptoms, awaiting the results of a test (due to symptoms or being in close contact with a person with Covid-19), or has tested positive in the last 10 days. |
If you test positive for Covid-19 |
Please let us know! We will notify those who were present at programming with you without sharing your name. Notify your close contacts directly (small groups, committees you met in person, people you sat next to or had a long conversation with, etc.). Please stay home until your symptoms have stopped AND you test negative with an antigen test for at least 10 days. |
Vaccination Policy |
We expect that all eligible persons are vaccinated as eligible. Covid-19 Vaccinations are required for: ● All staff ● Anyone who will be working with children or youth Vaccination status will be verified for anyone working with children by showing a Covid-19 Vaccination Card to a member of the staff. It is expected that all eligible persons are vaccinated. |
Building use by outside parties |
These policies shall be provided to all rentals and other outside building users, but non-UUSA organizations may have their own policies to which their membership will be expected to complyRenters and UUSA may cancel a rental reservation without sacrifice of deposit due to change in covid risk levels. Renters must make masks and hand sanitizer available to all who enter the building |
This policy shall be reviewed and amended as needed.