VBC’s Return to Safe Singing – Communicable Diseases Policy
After a year which included masks, in-person concerts, and Zoom rehearsals, the VBC is very excited to be returning to full in-person programming for our 2022-2023 season!
The Vancouver Bach Family of Choirs will no longer require its members (aged 12+) to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to attend in-person rehearsals and concerts. This update to our communicable diseases policy is effective as of June 25, 2022.
The significant uptake of vaccinations across Canada, and especially in British Columbia, has contributed to the re-evaluation of our previous vaccination policy. This change is also in line with many other private sector companies, other youth-serving organizations, educational institutions, and other health agencies. We also recognize the need to be flexible as the situation evolves, and we will continue to look to new data and guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the PHO, and the BCCDC, reevaluating our policies when needed and providing updates when available.
We invite you to read below our procedures for safe singing in each weekly rehearsal. These have been created based on best practices and recommendations by national health and choral authorities. We are adopting this policy to safeguard the health of our members and their families, our employees and volunteers, and the community at large from infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, which may be reduced by vaccinations.
We encourage you to consider joining us for this next season of in person singing! If you have sung with the VBC in the past, contact us to get the latest info on registration. Even if you missed last season, you are more than welcome to rejoin us. If you are new to the choir, click below to set up a time to audition in September. All singers are welcome for this coming season.
The Vancouver Bach Choir (VBC) has a duty to provide and maintain a safe environment that is free of known hazards for participants and staff alike. With that in mind, the VBC Board and Staff have adopted the following policy for its 2022-2023 season.
Staying Home
The VBC respectfully requests that any member, employee, staff member, or volunteer stay home and away from in-person events if they are experiencing any symptoms of illness. If members have stayed home from school/work, they should also be staying home from in-person events. Online rehearsal alternatives will be made available for singers who need to stay home due to illness.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are no longer mandatory for participants. However, we strongly encourage all singers aged 5+ to be up-to-date on their vaccinations in order to provide the best protection for our members and their families, our employees and volunteers, and the community at large from communicable diseases, such as COVID-19.
In rehearsal protocols
During rehearsals, we will be following all recommended communicable disease safety procedures. This will include, but may not be limited to:
- Making hand sanitizer available upon entry and exit to the rehearsal space.
- Offering online rehearsal alternatives for those experiencing any symptoms of illness or anyone who does not feel comfortable yet attending in person events.
- Mask use: members are strongly encouraged to wear masks to help protect your fellow singers. Whether or not masks are mandatory may fluctuate depending on the season, and we will continue to communicate any updates to our members.
- Physical distancing when necessary.
- We may also consider reducing the number of in person singers at each rehearsal and rotating who can attend in person and who can attend from home each week. This is not our first choice, but we will adopt this method if the health situation requires it.
- Cleaning high touch surfaces.
- Providing a one way path of travel through rehearsal venues when possible.
- We have worked with our venues to ensure that proper safety protocols and air flow options are in place.
We appreciate your help in implementing these safety protocols and making in person rehearsals as safe as possible for everyone involved. As always, if you have questions please don’t hesitate to contact us. We hope to see, and hear you soon!