Amber's response to our email.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Amber Nepodal <moenep@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, Jan 10, 2022 at 5:02 PM
Subject: Re: [acwe] Beginning of the ACWE Season
To: <acwepresident@xxxxxxxxx>
It's nice to hear that ACWE is planning on returning to rehearsals soon. I
would like address my concerns about the vaccine requirement to attend
rehearsals.
If the major concern for returning to rehearsals is to mitigate spread,
then only allowing vaccinated individuals to rehearsal is inappropriate as
vaccinated individuals can also contract and spread the virus.
It is not currently known if the vaccines completely prevent asymptomatic
infection (from FDA website
<https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/qa-comirnaty-covid-19-vaccine-mrna>
concerning
the pfizer vaccine), which I am going to assume is the major concern in not
allowing unvaccinated individuals to participate (what other concern could
there be?)
A more appropriate data point to consider if, when, and how the group could
more safely assemble would be the amount of community spread and the
associated risk level the City of Austin publishes (IE: stage 5, 4, etc
risk levels).
Currently, the group is only defining first dose(s) sans booster as being
fully vaccinated, yet current data suggests a waning efficacy without a
booster for certain vaccines. Again, are we actually concerned about
spread/illness or just a vaccination status?
I am going to assume the large majority of the music group is going to be
vaccinated as 70% of eligible people in the Austin Travis county area are
already vaccinated.
Banning participation of unvaccinated individuals based on the above
information I outlined seems more punitive then helpful and does little to
actually decrease the risk of the group as a whole.
Each individual has their own way of assessing their own personal risk in
participating in group activities during this time, it is not ACWE's
decision to make.
To be even more clear, I am a huge proponent of everyone getting vaccinated
as it clearly prevents major illness and has little risk associated with it
(I am vaccinated).
But, it is not within the realm of duty of this group to be making these
types of restrictions and decisions for people based on the evolving nature
of the pandemic and associated vaccine efficacy.
I am in favor of more direct mitigation efforts, most of which I see have
been mentioned in your initial communication. If I may also suggest that
shared equipment be sanitized before and after rehearsals, as this is a
more direct way to mitigate spread.
I am obviously not an expert, but am trying to open up the conversation. I
think we all feel the frustration and pain of the situation of not being
about to gather together and play and are looking for easy ways to make our
decisions feel like the right one, but that is more difficult that we
think. I don't know for sure if my idea of opening up the vaccine
restriction is the absolute correct one, I just have a concern about the
restrictive nature of it balanced with the reality of how much risk the
group would actually take on if a few unvaccinated people also
participated.
I hope you will take my concern into consideration. Thank you for your time.
On Sat, Jan 8, 2022 at 7:51 PM Thomas Hensle <acwepresident@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Hello Band,
Happy New Year to you all!
The Board has decided to modify the first couple of weeks of rehearsal in
response to Austin entering stage 5 of Covid alert this week. This coming
Tuesday the 11th, members will have the option to pick up their music at
Covenant United Methodist Church from 7:30-8:00 PM. The following Tuesday
the 18th, Robert will host a Zoom meeting for all members to say hello and
walk through a couple of the pieces with us. The hope is that we will use
these couple of weeks to knock some of the rust off of our horns at home
and be better prepared for our first in-person rehearsal on Tuesday the
25th (Covid permitting).
When ACWE meets in person again, vaccinations will be required to attend
rehearsals. Please read through the points below for all of the information
regarding rehearsals and the Band's Covid Protocols.
- Vaccinations are currently required to attend rehearsals.
Participants must be fully vaccinated, by the CDC definition (currently 2
doses of Pfizer or Moderna or 1 dose of J&J). Please bring proof of
vaccination to the first rehearsal you attend. Once Travis county drops to
stage 2 of Covid Alert, proof of vaccination will no longer be required.
- If you are exposed to someone who tests positive for Covid, or is
showing Covid symptoms, please do not come to rehearsal for at least one
week.
- Any member who gets Covid agrees to inform the ACWE board by sending
an email to acwepresident@xxxxxxxxx . The board will then notify all
ACWE members who were at the previous rehearsal with that band member.
Please wait to return to rehearsals until one week after symptoms
disappear.
- Attendance will be taken at each rehearsal. Minimum attendance
requirements will not be enforced. Please stay home to be safe as needed.
- Masks are required in the Covenant Church building, please wear a
mask when outside of the rehearsal area.
- Brass players, please bring your own cloth to catch spit each
rehearsal.
We hope to make the best of this season while maintaining a reasonably
safe environment for our friends. Please do not take any risks you are
uncomfortable with. The Board has spent a lot of time discussing the Band's
return to music in person. We've tried to find the appropriate balance of
risk and reward, and more than anything we look forward to being able to
play music together again.
I hope to see many of you briefly on Tuesday!
-Tom
