COVID Protocols
Page last updated: 4/4/2023
COVID protocols are established by Beth Shalom's COVID Committee and are subject to change.
If you have any possible symptoms of COVID-19, we encourage you to stay home. If you would still like to join us, you must test using a rapid test (and get a negative result), and must wear a mask to enter the building and attend indoor or outdoor services.
Symptoms include: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell.
What is the current policy on masks?
- Masks are currently optional at CBS services and events. The CBS COVID Committee has recommended that we take our guidance from local hospitals and medical centers, and we will update our protocols in accordance with their policies.
- Religious School, youth programming, Prozdor and teen learning are all mask optional.
- We will continue to provide masks at the front entrance for those who do not have masks with them but would like to wear one.
- We ask that you kindly respect other people’s choices regarding masking.
Please note, there will be a handful of exceptions to our Masking Policy made for CBS small group activities, at request of the groups' leaders. Participants will be notified in advance if masks will be required.
What kind of mask is recommended?
Inside the building, CBS recommends wearing either a standard 3-layer paper mask, KF94, KN95, or N95 mask if you are comfortable doing so. We will continue to have a supply of 3-layer paper and KN95 masks in the lobby.
What is the approach to vaccination?
We strongly encourage all of our members and guests to be up-to-date on their vaccinations, in line with our deeply held Jewish value to protect human life.
Will we still be able to eat outside?
Starting with Shabbat, March 26, 2022 people have the option of eating Kiddush lunch indoors or outdoors. All events with indoor eating will also have an outdoor eating option.
Will there still be online events? What about streaming?
We will continue to offer outdoor and hybrid events as long as there is demand for them. Streaming for shabbat services will continue to be available for the foreseeable future, as will virtual morning minyan.
What else are you doing to prevent the spread of COVID?
We have increased the airflow in all of our spaces, including keeping windows open, and have set our HVAC system for maximum air exchange. (Dependant on extreme weather or smoke, we may need to close doors and windows or make adjustments to airflow.)
How do we make our COVID policies?
Our COVID Committee, made up of medical experts from the Beth Shalom community, meet regularly with community leaders to set and update policies based on the latest medical research and the conditions in the Seattle-area. COVID policies and procedures are regularly updated and subject to change.
COVID Notification Policy
Per the CDC and King County Public Health, an individual who tests positive for COVID 19 is considered potentially infectious starting 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms. If they are asymptomatic, they are considered infectious starting 48 hours before the day of their COVID test.
If the office is notified that someone who attended a shul event subsequently tests positive for COVID-19, we determine whether they were potentially infectious the day of the event following the above guidelines. If so, we ask them if they had any high risk exposures. A high risk exposure is defined as being within 6 feet of the person for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
We will individually contact anyone identified as a close contact and recommend that they test (and quarantine) as per King County health guidelines, which currently differ based on vaccination status. https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/care/quarantine.aspx
Please feel free to contact the CBS office with questions.