COVID GUIDELINES UPDATE FEBRUARY 22nd 2022 SUGGESTED FOR PARTICIPANTS I trust you are all enjoying returning to singing and hope that we can all once again experience the shared joy of music. We are, of course, aware that restrictions are being lifted and need to review our guidelines and that though it has been uncomfortable at times rehearsing with the mitigations in place, your efforts to protect each other have been welcome and in keeping with the spirit of our trust and our ethos of “Caring through Singing”. Because all restrictions are ending in England, CCT is no longer in a position to insist on stringent risk reduction measures, but sensible caution is still a good idea due to the current conditions mentioned below and we now ask that you exercise individual responsibility for attendance with this in mind. I look forward to the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the trust on April 30th at Colyer Fergusson Hall and hope to see you there. CCT ask that: • Attendees should use a lateral flow test before attending and only attend if negative • If you have any cold or flu like symptoms (headache, sore throat or fatigue) you should not attend and ask that you leave at least 5 days after symptoms start before attending a rehearsal • Mask wearing is a personal choice • Seating will not be rigidly spaced and members can choose to sit together or not, but we encourage you to sit in more isolated spots if you would like greater distancing. • Windows will be open so warm clothing is useful. SUPPORTING INFORMATION from DR SARAH MONTGOMERY (TRUSTEE) • Case numbers of Covid-19 are still high, locally and nationally. Last week (w/c 14/2/22) 1 in 20 people in England were infected with Coronavirus, therefore there is still a very high risk of catching the virus. • Full vaccination (3 injections) protects most vaccinated people from hospitalisation and serious illness but not from getting infected, nor from transmitting the virus to others • Many fully vaccinated people will be asymptomatic and so will be infectious to others without knowing it • It is not yet known if vaccination reduces the risk of long Covid • The commonest symptoms of the Omicron variant are fatigue, sneezing and runny nose, headache, sore throat – indistinguishable from the common cold. Most do not lose their sense of taste or smell. Many do not have a fever or a cough.