Re: Mask wearing requirements

[Joshua Burson <joshburson09 gmail com>]

Hi all,
I agree that this is something we should at least consider.  And I agree
with Allison that we're at a point where we can go masks-optional.
However, I'm going to make a couple of suggestions:
1) That we decide in advance what criteria need to be met for us to go
masks-optional (and by extension, at what point we'd make masks mandatory
again.)  I'd suggest that we do this on the basis of COVID levels in Boston
wastewater (see: https://www.mwra.com/biobot/biobotdata.htm), and that we
should set a baseline of, say, 400 copies of viral RNA per mL of wastewater
for reimposing a strict mask mandate.  (Current levels are about 170
copies/mL)
2) That masks should be optional ONLY if the windows can be kept open--
UNLESS COVID levels get REALLY low, like say under 100 copies/mL.  Barring
that, if we need to close the windows because it's too cold/there's rain
blowing into the ringing chamber, we mask up.

A couple of other thoughts:
3) This should be masks-OPTIONAL, not no-mask.  No giving people grief if
they want to continue wearing one, for whatever reason;
4) It may well make sense to have different policies for different
locations, so that people who don't feel comfortable with masks OR with
fellow ringers being unmasked can still ring comfortably.
5) Does it make sense to do an online survey on how people feel on this
topic?

--Josh

On Sat, May 20, 2023 at 12:11 PM Pi Fisher via Boston-change-ringers <
boston-change-ringers cosmos phy tufts edu> wrote:

> (I only go to handbells, in case people are interested in different
> policies for the two.)
>
> I will continue wearing a mask for the foreseeable future, and I will be
> more likely to attend if others are also masked. I probably won't leave 
> due
> to others being unmasked, but it'll make me less eager to come the next
> time.
>
> On Sat, 20 May 2023, 11:41 Allison Schinagle via Boston-change-ringers, <
> boston-change-ringers cosmos phy tufts edu> wrote:
>
> >  Hi all,
> >
> > Given how a lot of organizations have been relaxing their masking
> > requirements recently, I was wondering if we have a particular 
> > condition
> in
> > mind when we would do the same? It would be good to know for sure what
> > would make people more comfortable switching to mask-optional.
> >
> > Best,
> > Allison Schinagle
> > -------------- next part --------------
> > An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
> > URL: <
> >
> http://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mhonarc/boston-change-ringers/attachments/20230520/6494cc6f/attachment.htm
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Boston-change-ringers mailing list
> > Boston-change-ringers cosmos phy tufts edu
> > https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo/boston-change-ringers
> >
> -------------- next part --------------
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
> URL: <
> http://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mhonarc/boston-change-ringers/attachments/20230520/0f43783c/attachment.htm
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Boston-change-ringers mailing list
> Boston-change-ringers cosmos phy tufts edu
> https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo/boston-change-ringers
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: 
<http://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mhonarc/boston-change-ringers/attachments/20230520/ff7b9dde/attachment.htm>