GPYO COVID-19 Protocols and Guidelines
REVISED AUGUST 2022
GPYO is committed to maintaining a safe, healthy, and productive environment for students, staff, and volunteers.
GPYO will closely follow all CDC and New Jersey guidelines regarding COVID-19. Our rehearsal plans are informed by the International Performing Arts Aerosol Study, which has shaped the guidelines of Arts Ed NJ and the National Association for Music Educators.
We will work to maximize learning and performing opportunities for all our members. We also must comply with the rules set by our rehearsal and concert venues. Some venues may ask for precautions or measures beyond what you are accustomed to in your daily practice. These may include masking, attesting to negative COVID status or vaccination status, or other related measures. We ask your cooperation as we move forward.
GPYO reserves the right to introduce additional mitigation measures if our geographic area experiences surges in disease transmission
Vaccinations
GPYO strongly encourages all members who are eligible for vaccination to be fully vaccinated before their first GPYO rehearsal.
Masking
Masks are highly recommended, but not required. The most protective masks are N95, KF94, or KN95 masks. A small quantity of masks will be available to students, staff, volunteers, and guests at all GPYO events.
Wind and Brass Players
We require bell covers of all wind and brass players, except flute players.
If they mask, woodwind and brass students should purchase masks appropriate for their instrument; these should be made with MERV13 or ASTM F2100 material
Woodwind and brass students are required to purchase masks specific to their instrument, as well as bell covers. The following is a list of recommended masks and bell covers:
Face Mask for Flute Face Mask for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba
Bell Cover for Oboe, Clarinet, or Bassoon Bell Cover for Trumpet Bell Cover for Horn Bell Cover for Trombone Bell Cover for Tuba
Orchestra Set-Up and Social Distancing
All string players will be seated approximately 3 feet away from each other. Woodwinds and brass will be seated 6 feet away from each other if room allows.
All students are required to bring their own music stands to rehearsal; string players will not have stand partners.
Students will be discouraged from sharing any materials during rehearsals. This includes music, pencils, rosin, mutes, tuners, valve oil, etc. Students should come to rehearsals prepared with all their own necessary materials
GPYO is committed to maintaining a safe, healthy, and productive environment for students, staff, and volunteers.
GPYO will closely follow all CDC and New Jersey guidelines regarding COVID-19. Our rehearsal plans are informed by the International Performing Arts Aerosol Study, which has shaped the guidelines of Arts Ed NJ and the National Association for Music Educators.
We will work to maximize learning and performing opportunities for all our members. We also must comply with the rules set by our rehearsal and concert venues. Some venues may ask for precautions or measures beyond what you are accustomed to in your daily practice. These may include masking, attesting to negative COVID status or vaccination status, or other related measures. We ask your cooperation as we move forward.
GPYO reserves the right to introduce additional mitigation measures if our geographic area experiences surges in disease transmission
Vaccinations
GPYO strongly encourages all members who are eligible for vaccination to be fully vaccinated before their first GPYO rehearsal.
Masking
Masks are highly recommended, but not required. The most protective masks are N95, KF94, or KN95 masks. A small quantity of masks will be available to students, staff, volunteers, and guests at all GPYO events.
Wind and Brass Players
We require bell covers of all wind and brass players, except flute players.
If they mask, woodwind and brass students should purchase masks appropriate for their instrument; these should be made with MERV13 or ASTM F2100 material
Woodwind and brass students are required to purchase masks specific to their instrument, as well as bell covers. The following is a list of recommended masks and bell covers:
Face Mask for Flute Face Mask for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba
Bell Cover for Oboe, Clarinet, or Bassoon Bell Cover for Trumpet Bell Cover for Horn Bell Cover for Trombone Bell Cover for Tuba
Orchestra Set-Up and Social Distancing
All string players will be seated approximately 3 feet away from each other. Woodwinds and brass will be seated 6 feet away from each other if room allows.
All students are required to bring their own music stands to rehearsal; string players will not have stand partners.
Students will be discouraged from sharing any materials during rehearsals. This includes music, pencils, rosin, mutes, tuners, valve oil, etc. Students should come to rehearsals prepared with all their own necessary materials
Addressing Illness and Potential COVID-19 Exposure among GPYO Members
Visiting the CDC website and consulting your primary care physician are the best ways to determine the specific appropriate actions to take if you are exposed to COVID-19 or test positive.
We ask that GPYO players, staff and volunteers stay home from rehearsal if they:
• have recently tested positive for COVID-19.
• suspect that they may have COVID-19.
If you know that you have been exposed to COVID -19 or if you have tested positive, we ask that you notify the GPYO Operations Manager ([email protected]). This allows us to track our attendance appropriately, and to conduct contact tracing and notify other GPYO families that may be impacted by this information.
If you are asked to stay home from rehearsal because of COVID-19 status or exposure, please check in with us again before returning to rehearsals.
Contact Tracing
When we are notified that any staff member or player has become ill with COVID, we will notify all GPYO participants who were in close proximity (3-6 feet) to the infected person during a rehearsal. The name of the infected person will be kept confidential from others.
PLEASE NOTE:
The CDC may change its recommendations about what to do if you have been exposed to COVID-19. We recommend that you visit these sites for the most up-to-date information about how to protect yourself and others:
Isolation and Precautions for those with COVID-19
What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19
Travel (sections on travel assessments, travel alerts, safer travel, and travel requirements)
Visiting the CDC website and consulting your primary care physician are the best ways to determine the specific appropriate actions to take if you are exposed to COVID-19 or test positive.
We ask that GPYO players, staff and volunteers stay home from rehearsal if they:
• have recently tested positive for COVID-19.
• suspect that they may have COVID-19.
If you know that you have been exposed to COVID -19 or if you have tested positive, we ask that you notify the GPYO Operations Manager ([email protected]). This allows us to track our attendance appropriately, and to conduct contact tracing and notify other GPYO families that may be impacted by this information.
If you are asked to stay home from rehearsal because of COVID-19 status or exposure, please check in with us again before returning to rehearsals.
Contact Tracing
When we are notified that any staff member or player has become ill with COVID, we will notify all GPYO participants who were in close proximity (3-6 feet) to the infected person during a rehearsal. The name of the infected person will be kept confidential from others.
PLEASE NOTE:
The CDC may change its recommendations about what to do if you have been exposed to COVID-19. We recommend that you visit these sites for the most up-to-date information about how to protect yourself and others:
Isolation and Precautions for those with COVID-19
What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19
Travel (sections on travel assessments, travel alerts, safer travel, and travel requirements)