While the prevalence of COVID-19 has decreased in the United States, it remains a significant concern. To better care for the safety of our students, our faculty, our staff, and everyone’s collective families, friends, and communities, and to provide a reasonably safe environment, we have designed a number of protocols which will have implications for every person present at the workshop.
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.
We’ll ask you for this information in a survey that we’ll send you in August.
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, you are expected to be fully masked at all times.
- Upon arrival and three days following arrival, 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 tests.
- In addition to the workshop-provided rapid 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.
- We encourage all faculty, staff, and students to bring their own rapid tests if they would like to test more frequently as well.
- 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 indoors in a large conference space. During the lecture, the area will be arranged to provide for reasonable social distancing (6+ feet / 2+ meters) between attendees. Masks may be required for everyone except the lecturer.
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 indoors within a large conference room. When indoors, social distancing (6+ feet / 2+ meters) between all participants within each group will be maintained. 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 indoor group sessions, 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, if held indoors, both the instructor and the student will remain masked, and a general measure of social distance should be maintained. We ask that students and instructors align to the comfort level of the person they are meeting with: If either you or your instructor would prefer that you both wear a mask, even outdoors, then please respect their wishes and wear a mask.
Meals
Meals will be provided in the indoor conference space. While communal eating is a meaningful part of the workshop experience, individuals concerned about other diners being unmasked while eating may choose to convene a small group and relocate outside to eat (weather permitting).
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 when indoors.
“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. Even outdoors or in the party tent, we strongly recommend the wearing of masks.
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 ill 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 until, for 24 hours, the quarantined person’s symptoms are getting better and they are fever-free without fever-reducing medicine (per the latest CDC guidance for respiratory viruses, including COVID-19), and they have a negative rapid test for COVID-19. 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.