COVID-19 Guidelines

The Carolinas District Board of Directors adopts the COVID-19 INTERIM GUIDANCE FOR BHS ENSEMBLES AND SINGING COMMUNITIES. In a vote at its rescheduled Zoom Meeting of June 28, 2020, the Carolinas District voted unanimously to adopt the BHS issued Interim Covid-19 guidance as guidelines for quartets, ensembles and choruses in the Carolinas District. The Guidance is effective immediately. Highlights include:

General Guidance for All Singing Communities

1. Evaluate the Risks – Many factors will affect your ensemble’s decision to rehearse, so educate yourself with
   science and facts before you decide to get together. Some of the risks include: age, health status, underlying
   medical conditions, exposure to other individuals, local infection rates, and more.
2. Be Flexible – Depending on your situation, it may not be possible to gather for rehearsal immediately. If you
   do decide to get together, develop an action plan for your group and stick to it. As more details are learned
   about COVID-19, your action plan may change.
3. Be Responsible – If you feel sick, stay home. If anyone in your immediate family is at higher risk, be overly
   cautious. If there’s a chance you’ve been in close contact with someone who might be infected, self-isolate
   and monitor your own health closely.
4. Sing Outdoors – Continue enhanced physical distancing, stand in a straight line, and keep the wind at your
   back.
5. Wear Masks – Singing may be more difficult while wearing a mask, but a mask will decrease the risk of
   droplet and aerosol spread.
6. Shorten rehearsals – Singing together for a shorter amount of time will reduce the possibility of exposure.
7. Cleanliness – Disinfect surfaces that are touched often and wash your hands regularly. Don’t share sheet
   music, water bottles, pencils, or other rehearsal-related objects.
8. Learning Tracks – If in-person rehearsal is simply not possible, you can use learning tracks to introduce new
   music or polish existing repertoire while keeping singers engaged.
9. Virtual Rehearsal – Stay connected with your ensemble by hosting virtual rehearsals and meetings.
10. Virtual Performance – Consider creating and sharing a virtual performance of your ensemble.
11. Singing indoors is not recommended at this time – The results of the University of Colorado study that are expected in late July will allow us to offer more detailed information.

Quartet Guidance

1. Form a “Quaranteam” – Creating a Social Bubble, or Quarantine Pod, may be an option for your quartet.
   While it is not without risk, this may be a way to increase social interaction while limiting exposure and risk.
   How it works: A small group of people (quartet members and their families) choose to limit outside contact
   in order to interact with each other.

Chorus Guidance

1. Small Groups are Safer – Any chorus, regardless of size, may be able to find different ways for members to gather together in smaller groups. Research suggests that small ensembles will be able to safely sing
   together much sooner than larger ensembles.
2. Consider Sectionals or VLQs – Depending on your local guidelines, it may not be possible or advisable for everyone to gather together at the same time. Remember to maintain enhanced physical distancing and sing outdoors.
3. Form “Quaranteam” Quartets – Encouraging small groups to form quaranteams as outlined above may be an option for your chorus.