COVID-19 Policy and Protocol for Fall Camp

Policy:

We are committed to making this event safe and connecting.  Out of care for the most vulnerable people in our networks, all attendees of Fall Camp must be vaccinated with a booster, and we require testing before and during camp as well.  [Scroll down for more background on our policy choices.]

To those community members whose needs are not met by this protocol, please know that we love you, miss you, and look forward to the day when we can all gather together.  We are working to develop a metric for when we will consider it safe to connect without precautions.

If our final protocol does not work for you, if you decide to withdraw from attending a CFNC event for COVID-related issues, OR if we cancel the event due to a surge in COVID cases, we will issue you a full refund.

We request that you pay via Venmo or Paypal if you would like to pre-pay for an event, so that we can avoid paying credit card fees in the case of cancellation.

Protocol (subject to change):

  • All attendees of New Culture Fall Camp are required to be vaccinated and boosted. Please submit your vaccine card here: https://form.123formbuilder.com/5958101/form
    • We strongly recommend but do not require the new bivalent booster.

    • Contact us at info@cfnc.us if you have a documented medical condition that does not allow you to meet these requirements – we might be able to work out a special protocol most likely involving extra isolation and testing.

  • We request, but do not require, that attendees limit exposure (seeing unvaccinated people, being unmasked in public, etc.) in the week leading up to camp.
  • All attendees will need to test negative before camp.  There are two options:
    • a PCR-RT test no more than 48 hours before they arrive at camp, or
    • three rapid antigen tests, one each day on the three days before they arrive at camp.
    • If you have any questions or issues with arranging a test, please contact Michael at 703-755-0607.
  • Any attendees who get sick right before coming to the event are respectfully requested to stay home – we will refund your registration fee.
  • We will perform a rapid antigen test on everyone as they arrive.
  • After the negative pre-camp tests and the negative on-arrival tests are recorded, there will be no masking or distancing requirements for anyone attending the event – people are welcome to mask or distance if they choose.
  • Everyone will take three additional antigen tests during camp, on the two days after they arrive plus Tuesday Oct. 11.
  •  At the event, please report any symptoms ASAP to the Health Coordinator.
  • Isolation space(s) are available for anyone symptomatic and/or testing positive and unable to leave the event

We welcome suggestions and questions to make this a safe, delightful experience for all. Please email us at info@cfnc.us.

*Protocols subject to revision in the event of major changes in the COVID-19 pandemic – Full refunds will be given for any COVID-19 related cancellations.

More background on the Fall Camp COVID-19 policy:

The CFNC organizers recognize that there are various different understandings of COVID, vaccines, and other prevention protocols and policies, and that sometimes it can feel like people are in completely different realities from each other.  Our decisions around event health and safety protocols are based on our personal boundaries and how we see our responsibilities as people and as leaders.  We offer caring and respect to those whose perspectives are different.

Currently, the rates of COVID-19 transmission, hospitalization, and death among unvaccinated people are still very high.  With these numbers, we only wish to organize intimate events for vaccinated and boosted people, because we don’t want to be responsible for someone’s death or long-term serious illness as a result of one of our events – either for an attendee or for someone in an attendee’s social network.

Moreover, we also value providing safer spaces for people who have a high risk person in their network, or are at a high risk themselves of death or serious long-term side effects from COVID-19. We note that high risk is associated with some chronic illnesses, and some of these conditions are themselves correlated with economic and social marginalization. An event where everyone is vaccinated and boosted seems to be one of the few places that high-risk people can socialize while still keeping themselves and those around them safe. 

We are tracking a number of factors (including the prevalence and severity of the current dominant COVID variant, the effectiveness of testing, and the threat of long COVID) that will determine when we might be willing to host intimate events open to people who aren’t vaccinated.  We hope that day comes soon.  In the meantime, we wish health and happiness to all reading this message.