While the prevalence of COVID-19 has decreased in the United States, it remains a significant concern. This is to better care for the safety of our students, our faculty, our staff, and everyone’s collective families, friends, and communities. To provide a reasonably safe environment, we have designed a number of protocols which will have implications for every person present at the workshop.
Vaccination Status
For general safety, all people who come to the workshop (including students, staff, and faculty) are asked to disclose (confidentially to the workshop staff) any allergies or health concerns that may be relevant for food preparation, emergency responders, etc. prior to the workshop itself.
With that information, we will also be asking people to demonstrate proof of vaccination and booster shots up to the level allowed by a person’s age and health status, or to request an exemption with clear justification (e.g. being immunocompromised, etc.). Requests for an exemption will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis as needed, and the workshop reserves the right to decline an exemption request from any prospective student, staff, or faculty member.
Negative Tests
Everyone coming to the workshop will be expected to provide a demonstration of a negative COVID-19 test result dated within 72 hours of your arrival to the workshop. Please upload the results of your COVID-19 test using the form provided. This will need to be completed before you arrive on Martha’s Vineyard.
When you arrive on Martha’s Vineyard, you have the option to arrange your own transportation to the Island Inn. However, if you would like, a member of the workshop staff will be there to greet you and drive you to the workshop venue. During this trip, everyone in the car will need to be masked.
Upon checking in with the workshop staff at the Staff Den. you will be given a name tag and a rapid covid test. Please let the staff know the results of this rapid test ASAP.
- Unless you are in your hotel room, actively eating a meal, or outside with more than 6 feet (two meters) distance to another person, you are expected to be fully masked at all times.
- Every morning, the workshop staff will check that all students, staff, and faculty have taken a rapid covid test to protect everyone at the workshop. The workshop staff will provide everyone with rapid tests sufficient for these daily tests.
- In addition to the daily tests, the workshop staff will have rapid antigen tests available for all students, staff, and faculty on request. Should you start to feel poorly, you will be asked to take this rapid antigen test and subsequently isolate until the results are known.
- If at any time, anyone wishes to receive a PCR test, workshop staff will drive the individual to the nearest on-island PCR testing facility to facilitate the test.
Lectures
Part of the Viable Paradise experience is group lectures, which are typically attended by all students and faculty. This year, lectures are expected to occur outside in a (heated) party tent. During the lecture, the area will be arranged to provide for reasonable social distancing (6+ feet / 2+ meters) between attendees. Everyone – including the lecturer – will be expected to be masked. The lecturer will be equipped with a small microphone to help make sure that their voice can be heard despite the mask.
Group Sessions
Group critique sessions – which typically involve two faculty members and six students – will be held in various outside spaces, including within the heated party tent and a large conference room, with social distancing (6+ feet / 2+ meters) between all participants within each group. Groups themselves will be significantly spaced to limit noise pollution across groups. Weather permitting, individual groups may conduct their group session outside while maintaining similar social distancing. During the group session, all participants will be masked.
One-on-One Sessions
One-on-one sessions between an instructor and a student will be held in a small setting. The discussions will either take place (weather permitting) outside, or in one of several indoor communal spaces with ample space between instructor/student pairs for privacy. During the one-on-one, both the instructor and the student will remain masked, and a general measure of social distance should be maintained.
Meals
Meals will be provided in the (heated) outdoor party tent. While the specific policy may be adjusted by the workshop staff based on the configuration of the party tent (and its level of ventilation), the current expectation is that masks in the (likely well-ventilated) tent will be strongly encouraged but not required.
Organized Activities
During the workshop, there are periodic activities organized by the workshop for students, faculty, and staff. The same general practices observed throughout the workshop will apply, whether the organized activity is inside or (weather permitting) outside. Participants will be expected to wear masks and generally maintain social distance (6+ feet / 2+ meters) of distance.
“Hanging Out”
A big part of the workshop experience is the camaraderie of music parties, hanging out in the staff den, and chatting with fellow students, faculty, and staff. This is a big part of the Viable Paradise magic, and we do not want to lose this magic due to the pandemic. However, to keep everyone safe we will be implementing and enforcing two general rules:
- When inside one of the hotel rooms, unless it is YOUR hotel room, masks must be worn.
- Music parties will occur in the lecture hall or (weather permitting) outside within the party tent, with adequate social distancing (6+ feet / 2+ meters) between each participant. Even when singing, masks must be worn.
To ensure everyone’s safety and adequate social distancing, music parties will no longer be allowed inside individual hotel rooms, including the staff den or faculty rooms.
Positive Tests or Possible Covid Cases
If anyone tests positive or feels poorly and is awaiting the results of a test, they will be asked to quarantine away from other students, faculty, or staff. Students who are not sharing rooms are welcome to quarantine within their own hotel room. However, if you are sharing a room with one or more roommates, the workshop will have a reserved hotel room for quarantine purposes. This reserved hotel room will be suitable to accommodate up to three quarantined people at a time. The workshop staff will provide meals to any quarantined people, with the quarantine maintained for a minimum of 5 full days (per the latest CDC guidance) from a positive test. Please note that:
- This quarantine hotel room can be extended beyond the duration of the workshop itself, should anyone’s enforced quarantine period extend beyond the workshop dates.
- If the quarantine hotel room is extended beyond the duration of the workshop, staff will be unable to provide food beyond the workshop’s end. However, food will be arranged with the hotel and/or delivery services on the island.
Students who are quarantined will still be able to participate in lectures/group discussions, group critique sessions, and one-on-one sessions via video conference should they feel up to doing so.
When leaving the workshop, you have the option to arrange your own transportation to the ferry or airport as needed. However, if you would like, a member of the workshop staff will be available to drive you to the ferry or airport. During this trip, everyone in the car will need to be masked.