Dear UU Church of Nashua Community,

In the past couple of weeks, it feels like we are finally turning a corner in this pandemic. The end is not quite in sight, but there are more and more hopeful signs. Infection rates are finally going down in New Hampshire, while more and more people are vaccinated every single day. The evidence is getting better and better about the efficacy of vaccines, and some of us are getting to see and hug people we haven’t in a long time. We love hearing about every single “fully vaccinated!” status in our congregation, knowing it protects you and our larger community. And we know that many of you are enjoying the new freedom that status offers, especially with the new CDC guidelines released last week. Some of you have been wondering if we will be updating our Covid Policy in accordance with the CDC changes. 

At this point, we have made some slight changes and we want to share that with you all. 

Once we get into the Yellow phase of our policy (we are so close!), we have changed the guidance around masks for small groups (up to 15) gathering outside. Participants may remove masks if

• The group is made up of all fully vaccinated people
• All attendees are comfortable being in a setting where masks are removed
• The group leader should get the consent of all present before anyone removes their mask.

We have made the same change for small indoor gatherings once we get to the Green phase. If you would like to view our full updated policy, click here. 

The CDC’s guidance is helpful for when you are gathering with a discrete number of people, and when you can be certain of everyone’s vaccination status. Some of our congregational events meet that criteria; many do not. For congregation wide events, we are holding ourselves to a different standard: one that promotes full inclusivity, equity, and safety for all. 

Over the course of our larger congregational events, you might come into contact with many different UU Nashua community members of all ages, some vaccinated and some not. We are a multigenerational community, and there is no vaccine approved yet for children under 12. Plus, there are adults and youth 12 and up who cannot be vaccinated, or have not yet had the chance, or who are immunocompromised and must still be vigilant even after receiving a vaccine. So for gathering in larger groups, we will continue to have one policy for all–offering the equitable, inclusive approach of “masks for ages 5 and up!” This protects our youngest, not yet vaccinated members, those who cannot be vaccinated, and our community as a whole. 

Vaccines are a HUGE help to the fight against COVID, but they are not a cure-all. Increasing vaccination rates have not had time to achieve their full effect on COVID containment in our region and variants continue to spread. We are using infection rates in addition to vaccination status to guide our policy, and to determine when we can move into the next stage. Our diligence as a community is part of our commitment to public health and to the safety of all UU Nashua members and friends. We are hopeful that infection rates will continue to go down, allowing us to move into the yellow phase of our policy and have more freedom to gather together outdoors. 

Thank you so much for your caring approach to re-opening, and your understanding of our need for extra thoughtfulness when we gather as our UU Nashua  community. It shows us who UU Nashua is: a congregation that honors every single member of our community, and works together to create a safe and inclusive environment for all.

 

With hopes for gathering together soon,

Your Safe Congregation Response Team (Lindsey Hedrick, Sadie Kahn-Greene, Ericka LaValley, Rev. Allison Palm & Brenna Woods)