Covid-19 Policy

Updated by the Board October 30, 2022

We at MVUUF are a covenanted community of care. Our Unitarian Universalist Principles call us to recognize and support the worth and dignity of all and the interdependent web of our lives. To this end, we pledge to do our best to safeguard the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of all who enter our facilities. Especially since there are those among us who may be more vulnerable, we each must do our part.

This has never been as important as in this time of COVID-19. While there is no way to guarantee 100% safety, there are steps we can each take to help make our gatherings safer. The MVUUF Board has decided on the following requirements for in-person gathering on Fellowship grounds. These will remain in effect until health conditions in the greater Dayton area warrant relaxation of these safeguards.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1. 1. All individuals are encouraged to determine their own level of safety comfort and to adopt any additional precautions beyond those stated in our policy.
  2. Vaccination and boosters are strongly encouraged for all individuals whenever possible. This will not only protect those who are vaccinated, but also those among us who are not able to be vaccinated. It will also slow the rate of virus mutation in our larger community and represents a way to live our UU Principles.
  3. The following volunteer roles require proof of vaccination at risk levels Medium and higher:
    - All Children and Youth Religious Education roles
  4. Individuals showing respiratory or any other potential COVID-19 symptom(s) or individuals suspecting they may be infected with COVID should not visit MVUUF building or grounds until they have been cleared as non-contagious per the CDC guidelines. This is a way we show our care for each other. No role is so important that we should risk COVID spread.
  5. People are strongly encouraged to let the minister know if they test positive for COVID. The minister will hold this information confidentially when informing the congregation. This will both allow pastoral care and alert others to their possible exposure.
  6. Communication is vital. Each person is responsible for their own individual decisions about level of participation. Therefore, every effort will be made to inform the congregation of anticipated level of risk for any gathering
    - What level of music will be performed?
    - Will there be food?
    - Have safety requirements been relaxed for some reason?
  7. The MVUUF COVID Risk Level will be communicated via the MVUUF website, Friday eBlast newsletter, and in the foyer of the MVUUF building.

COVID RISK LEVELS

MVUUF will use the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Community Risk Levels for the Dayton Metro Area indicated on the CovidActNow website:

https://www.covidactnow.org/us/metro/dayton-kettering_oh/?s=28571738

Learn more about COVID risk levels here: https://www.covidactnow.org/?s=28611742

Risk Level: MEDIUM and HIGH
- Surgical or better masks covering nose and mouth are required for everyone 3 years old and older when indoors unless otherwise noted (no cloth masks).
  - MVUUF has surgical masks available for congregants unable to purchase their own or who are temporarily without the required mask.
- Combined in-person and virtual Sunday worship services as much as possible (some services may be virtual only and/or in-person only).
- Speakers, musicians, choir members, and other volunteers must wear KN95/KN94 or better masks.
  - MVUUF will provide KN95/KN94 masks for staff and volunteers unable to purchase their own or temporarily without the required mask.
- Speakers, musicians, and soloists may remove masks when performing/speaking if they test negative with a COVID rapid test on the morning of the service or event.
  - MVUUF will provide COVID rapid tests for staff and volunteers unable to purchase their own.
- Choir and congregation may sing while masked indoors and without masks outdoors.
- Choir should attempt to maintain 6-foot distance from one another and congregation while singing.
- Singing mitigations also apply to air-driven instruments (horns, etc).
- Piano, guitar, strings, rhythm instruments, videos, etc. are encouraged.
- All congregants and staff should maintain physical distancing as much as possible both indoors and outdoors (optimum distance is over 6 feet).
- Outdoor gatherings represent significantly less risk and are encouraged whenever possible; masking is not required outdoors.
- Indoor gatherings with food and drink are allowed with the following guidelines: masking required when not actively eating or drinking; masking required in all rooms where food and/or beverages are served; rooms arranged for physical distancing, including possibility of tables in separate rooms.
- Coffee Hour permitted after service (outdoors if possible); masking required indoors when not actively eating or drinking.
Risk Level: LOW
- Combined in-person and virtual services as much as possible (some services may be virtual only or in-person-only).
- No masks required indoors.
- Singing and air-driven instruments allowed without masks indoors (choir and congregation).
- Food and drink allowed indoors without COVID restrictions.
- Physical distancing no longer encouraged.

RENTALS AND SPECIAL MVUUF FUNCTIONS

Rentals
- Includes but not limited to weddings and funerals.
- Rentals are not required to comply with MVUUF COVID Guidelines unless one of the following criteria is met:
  - MVUUF employee or volunteer is required to be present and the employee/volunteer is not comfortable with risk level.
  - Another event in building is occurring simultaneously or immediately following.
Special MVUUF Functions
- Includes but not limited to holiday dinners.
- Exceptions can be allowed with approval of Board (if establishing new precedent), Program Council, or Minister.
- Variances to risk level precautions must be communicated to congregation in advance so people can choose wisely.
- Every effort should be made to limit viral exposure and to meet safely.

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