Hi everyone, I'd like people to consider a few things when discussing covid...
* People are asking what others are doing. Not asking for advice on what they should be doing. Please don't offer unsolicited advice. I think it is useful to hear what is happening at other dances. But if there is going to be negative/critical feedback, people will not share. * This is email. No one is going to change someone else's mind. If you don't agree with the guidelines that a dance is using, don't go to it. Please don't attack or criticize the poster. Often, the poster is only one person of a committee making the decisions. Don't shoot the messenger. * Please watch the tone of your email, or how others might perceive the tone of your email. It might feel rude or critical, even if you didn't intend it. Responders - instead of jumping on someone publicly, please write to them privately, saying "that felt rude. Did you intend it that way?" Maybe they will apologize. * We are all doing our best here. We are all coming from different geographic areas which each have their own particular local culture, especially regarding masking. Please be kind to each other if someone else's guidelines don't agree with yours. Bottom line: This list is NOT a place to discuss the effectiveness of masks, vaccines, etc. This is a thread asking what other people are doing. No one has asked if others think their policy is good. Thank you, Seth > On Apr 12, 2023, at 10:33 AM, Emily Addison via Organizers > <organizers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Hi Folks :) > > I was hoping to chime in too. Although likely not as eloquently as I would > like. > > I really appreciated Chrissy's email about being open and this being a place > of learning. I really value talking with and learning from other organizers. > It's great to hear various perspectives. > > In my own little microcosm of the Ottawa Ontario area, I see varying > perspectives. > > The Ottawa Contra Dance community (which has been dancing for around 30 years > and which I helped organize for a decade) still has mandatory masks. I know > there are differing views in that community. > > And there's a new dance series 40min north of here in the Quebec Hills which > I'm calling at. At that event, there are 70-100 people and virtually no one > is wearing a mask. There's not even any communication about masks or > vaccines. I'm sure there are at least a few people who aren't coming because > there are no masks ... on the other hand... this is a brand new series filled > with so much joy and it's super multi-generational and bringing in both the > francophone and anglophone communities as well as some members of the LGBTQ2 > community. > > Further afield, I see Montreal Contra being very clear in their communication > that masks are required, and then no masks being worn at the Quebec Contra > dances. > > I danced recently in Syracuse and I personally appreciated their policy. > https://syracusecountrydancers.org/covid-19-mitigation-protocols/ > > I wanted to add one last perspective that I think it a bit interesting. Last > year, I had stage 3 breast cancer and so underwent 4 months of pretty serious > chemo where my immune system was REALLY low. There was absolutely no way I > was going to go to a dance, even if everyone was masked. It's just my > perspective for that window of time, but I was happy other people were > dancing period .... and it didn't bother me that there were dances happening > where people were unmasked and I couldn't go. There were lots of things I > couldn't do but I appreciated that those folks were having fun in different > ways. Again.. just my perspective. > > I think it's wonderful that communities choosing different practices... what > feels best for their series and their community. It's wonderful to hear the > variety of responses in these very unusual times. > > :) Emily n Ottawa > > > > On Wed, Apr 12, 2023 at 9:10 AM Woody Lane via Organizers > <organizers@lists.sharedweight.net > <mailto:organizers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: >> Hi Everyone, >> >> Seth suggested a 2-day cooling off period before any new posts on this >> topic. A good idea. I am traveling in Australia right now, and between the >> 200 different time zones, the switch to standard time from daylight savings >> time, and the international date line, it’s taken me about 2 days to figure >> out the 2-day lag. In any case, hoping enough time has passed, I'd like to >> add some thoughts about this issue that may be helpful for those who have >> the difficult responsibilities of trying to make decisions about their >> dances. >> >> If we are considering ending or changing the covid rules for our dances, >> there are some basic things that can underlie our decisions: >> >> * Covid is a respiratory disease. It invades the body through mucous >> membranes in the mouth, nose, and sometimes the eyes. >> * The virus spreads primarily through droplets and aerosols expelled through >> the mouth and nose. But virus particles can be easily diluted and dispersed >> by wind, including good air movement. >> * Contra dancing is an activity where people breathe on each other, >> interacting with many people in a short period of time, over and over again. >> Sometimes breathing hard. Nearly always indoors. >> * CDC guidelines are not based on contra dancing. Even in medical >> facilities, patients, doctors, and nurses do not swing each other, breathe >> into each others' faces, and change partners every 35 seconds (at least I >> hope not). Guidelines for medical facilities are not directly relevant to >> contra dances. >> * The current variants of this coronavirus are much more transmissible than >> the earlier variants. Meaning that data from the pre-delta/pre-omicron >> period may be misleading and not properly relevant to today's circumstances. >> * Vaccinated people can indeed get infected and sick with covid, but in >> general their transmissible phase (when they can infect others) is a day or >> so shorter and usually contains lower levels of the virus, compared to >> unvaccinated people. >> * The current covid statistics from the CDC and other agencies have some >> serious problems. While the reported rates of deaths and hospitalizations >> are probably accurate, the reported rates of infection (derived from >> testing) are systematically biased low because so many people now test at >> home without officially reporting the results. >> >> So, after three years of not dancing together and/or complying with covid >> restrictions of requiring vaccinations, wearing masks, etc -- well, here are >> my thoughts -- >> >> * Masks are still critical in contra dances. The general infection rate is >> higher than officially reported. Especially important for people vulnerable >> to being infected. (This is in the U.S. Other countries with higher >> vaccination rates may have much lower infection rates.). The protection with >> masks goes both ways. >> >> * Vaccinations -- not so much, especially if people wear good masks (N95 or >> equivalent) and the mask requirement is enforced. Also, people who have been >> sick recently with covid are well-protected from having a transmissible >> virus load. (The operative word here is "recently". But the practical >> question is the definition of “recently”.) >> >> * Air movement in the room -- this item has not been emphasized enough, >> although it's extremely important. And it’s something that dance groups can >> directly improve at their dances. Open windows, multiple fans, etc. Also, >> dance organizers can easily monitor air movement with a carbon dioxide >> sensor (portable sensors are available for less than $100). Place one in a >> room and see what happens during the dance evening. CO2 is heavier than air. >> People breathe out CO2. Therefore, CO2 levels in a room can be a proxy for >> the risk of covid transmission because CO2 levels reflect the amount of air >> movement. Atmospheric CO2 levels are around 413 ppm. If the air doesn't move >> much, CO2 levels will quickly rise during a dance evening, sometimes to more >> than 1,000 ppm. If the CO2 level can be maintained below 600 ppm, this >> probably indicates that air is circulating relatively efficiently, which >> reduces the risk of viral particle buildup. Keeping the CO2 level near 413 >> ppm is even better. (It’s a well-known fact, for example, that exhaled >> coronaviruses are not very transmissible in a 40-mph prevailing wind.) >> >> * Mandatory reporting – need to know if any dancers experience covid >> symptoms or test positive soon after a dance event. Collecting this >> information is awkward and cumbersome, probably pie-in-the-sky, but it would >> be a good statistic. And provide assurance to everyone, especially over time. >> >> Long and complex, but just my two cents. >> Woody >> >> Woody Lane >> Caller, Percussive Dancer, Event Organizer >> Roseburg, OR >> _______________________________________________ >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Lisa Sieverts via Organizers <organizers@lists.sharedweight.net >> <mailto:organizers@lists.sharedweight.net>> >> Sent: Friday, April 7, 2023 11:34 PM >> To: A list for dance organizers <organiz...@sharedweight.net >> <mailto:organiz...@sharedweight.net>> >> Subject: [Organizers] Is it time to change our mask mandates? >> >> Hello fellow organizers, >> >> I have been a big proponent of our dance mask mandates and feel we have >> prevented quite a bit of COVID spread by requiring good facemasks. >> >> However, our local hospital has announced that after 3 years of a mask >> mandate for everyone entering their building (it’s both a hospital and a >> medical center), they are lifting the mandate on April 10 for anyone >> asymptomatic and who hasn’t had a recent COVID contact. >> >> Our board will be discussing this soon but I am very curious about what >> other organizers think. Is it time? And what should be our criteria for >> lifting our mandates? >> >> Best, >> Lisa >> Monadnock Folklore Society >> Nelson, NH >> >> Lisa Sieverts >> 603-762-0235 >> l...@lisasieverts.com <mailto:l...@lisasieverts.com> >> _______________________________________________ >> Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net >> <mailto:organizers@lists.sharedweight.net> To unsubscribe send an email to >> organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net >> <mailto:organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net>_______________________________________________ >> Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net >> <mailto:organizers@lists.sharedweight.net> >> To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net >> <mailto:organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net> > _______________________________________________ > Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net > To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
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