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COVID-19 Preparedness Plan

GENERAL PLAN

 

 

We have some further COVID precautions and information we are passing on:

 

If you have any of the following symptoms or have been with anyone that was ill, please be considerate of others

and stay home. Thank YOU !!

 

1. Fever

2. Cough

3. Shortness of Breath

4. Sore Throat

5. Respiratory distress

6. Chills

7. Repeated shaking with chills

8. Headache that is new or different than usual

9. Muscle aches

10. Nausea

11. Diarrhea

12. Vomiting

13. Change or loss of taste sensation

14. Change or loss of smell

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COVID Precautions for Worship:

 

*Please make sure the person in charge of  the Attendance Sheet gets you signed in with name and phone number in case we need to contact to a you due confirmed case in our congregation.

* Respect Social Distancing Requirements in and outside of Sanctuary- no gathering in groups.

* Upon Entering the church, you need to have your facemask on and use the Anti- Bacterial.

If you do not have a mask, they are available at the entrance.

*No singing 

Thank you for your help ensuring the health of all who have gathered here.

 

 

Precautionary Measures to be Followed during the Coronavirus Pandemic
July, 2020

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  • Attendance at services will be limited to 25% of our seating capacity, that is, no more than 60 persons.  (100% capacity is 250 including balcony)

  • When the maximum number of people allowed at each service is reached, that service will be closed to any more worshipers.

  • Persons who are at higher risk for severe illness are strongly encouraged to stay home.

  • Persons who have had recent contact with an infected person must stay home.

  • Before coming to worship each person should conduct a self-check and stay home if they have symptoms of COVID-19.  Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell.  Other less common symptoms include gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

  • Members who are able to do so are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering or mask.  (MN mandate effective 7/25/2020)

    • Masks will be available if you do not have one.

  • Social distancing of at least six feet is required between people who do not live in the same household. (Members of the same house may sit together in the same pew.)

  • Worshipers should have no physical contact with others not in their household; this includes shaking hands, fist bumps, hugs, etc.

  • To maintain social distancing every other pew will be marked as unavailable for seating.  No one is to sit in “closed” pews.  The usher will assist in identifying available spots for individuals and households.

  • Upon arriving at church, worshipers should not congregate in the fellowship hall, but should move directly to the pew they will occupy during the service.

  • Hymnals, pencils, and cushions will be removed from the pews. Printed orders of worship will be available.

  • No offering plates will be passed during the service. Instead worshipers may place their offering in the designated basket as they enter or leave the sanctuary.

  • Children are to stay with their parents as much as possible while in the building. They should not be moving around on their own. They should also stay with their parents for the children’s message.

  • The infant care room/library will be available for parents who may need to use it. The children’s activity bags will be put away.  Parents must bring their own items they feel are necessary for their little children.

  • Since singing more forcefully expels respiratory droplets than does speaking, congregational singing will be limited, if done at all. Soloists may sing from the balcony/front piano.

  • Holy Communion will be distributed in walk around fashion. Communicants will come forward at the direction of the usher, maintaining a six-foot distance.  Each communicant will extend their hand and will be given an individually wrapped wine/wafer, then return to their pew to partake.   There will be garbage container near the rear of the sanctuary for disposing of wrappers as you leave worship.  If children come forward, the pastor will speak a blessing but will not touch the child.

  • At the end of the service, worshipers will be dismissed in an orderly fashion so to maintain six-foot distancing, starting in the rear of the building. When dismissed people should move to leave the building, and not use the narthex for visiting.

  • The pastors will wear masks before and after the service, but they will not do so during the service when they are leading worship. However, they will wear a mask and use hand sanitizer when celebrating Holy Communion.

  • Sanitation teams will ensure that frequently touched surfaces are cleaned appropriately before/after each worship service.

  • Hand sanitizer and tissues will be available.

  • All restrooms will be open.

  • Small groups of members may meet from time to time. Social distancing will still be required in whatever space is used and appropriate sanitation needs to completed after the meeting.

  • Members who cannot agree to these measures and will not practice them are asked to stay home and wait for the time when these precautions are eased.

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YOUTH PLAN

Evanger Lutheran Church Children and Youth Ministry COVID-19 Preparedness Plan

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Evanger Lutheran Church is first and foremost committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for our students, volunteers, and staff. We have developed a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in accordance with Executive Orders 20-48 and 20-74 issued by Governor Walz. Our ultimate goal is to mitigate the potential transmission of COVID-19 within our church and community. This will require full cooperation and understanding among our staff, families, volunteers, and students to ensure we maintain a safe and healthy environment.

 

The following plan will be a requirement that will be enforced and is fully supported by Evanger Lutheran Church leadership and staff.

 

This plan has been implemented using a combination of our knowledge and from these resources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), federal OSHA standards related to COVID-19, and mandates through the Department of Human Services Licensing Division. 

 

  1. Hand washing and healthy hygiene. 

  2. Cleaning and materials handling. 

  3. Arrival and departure. 

  4. Plans for identifying and excluding sick staff, volunteers, or children. 

  5. Social Distancing and minimizing exposure. 

  6. Face coverings. 

  7. Ventilation. 

  8. Outdoor space  

  9. Meals, snacks, and drinking fountains. 

  10. Communication and training about this plan. 

 

1.   Hand washing and healthy hygiene. 

  • Students, volunteers, and staff will practice proper hand washing routines including (but not limited to) washing hands upon arrival, before and after eating, after blowing noses, coughing, or sneezing, and after playing outside.

  • If it is not an option to wash with soap and water, a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol will be used.

  • When using hand sanitizer, children will be supervised, and sanitizer will be placed in an inaccessible location.

 

2.   Cleaning and materials. 

  • Classroom surfaces will be washed and sanitized before and after each gathering. 

  • Adult volunteers will also be assisting with the cleaning of spaces utilized by Sunday School/Confirmation/Luther League gatherings.

  • Frequent cleaning of high-touch areas such as doorknobs, light switches, etc. 

  • Minimizing the use of shared supplies. Students will have their own box of supplies in their own space.

  • If persons suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 have been in the program, we will implement the following procedures for cleaning and disinfecting:

    • The affected area will be closed for use for two (2) days for cleaning and disinfecting as per CDC and MDH guidelines.

    • All items the person may have been in contact with will be cleaned and disinfected.

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3.   Arrival and Departure. 

  • We ask that parents limit their time in forcing off students to classrooms and practice safe social distancing including the wearing of masks and using hand sanitizer. 

Arrival:

  • When we are in the building, families will proceed to the program area. Parents and students are expected to wear a face mask per the MN Mask Mandate and current MDH & CDC recommendations.

Departure:

  • There will be a staggered release of students to reduce congestion in the hallway or at pick-up location. Please maintain social distancing.

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4.   Plans for identifying and excluding sick staff or children.

  • Daily health checks will be conducted for staff, volunteers, and children including temperature checks.

  • Evanger staff and volunteers have been informed to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.

  • We require that any child or staff that determines they have had close contact outside of Evanger programming with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms while following CDC guidelines for home isolation. This includes exposure to any person up to 48 hours prior to that person developing COVID-19 symptoms. Please notify us immediately of exposure.

  • If your child develops a temperature while at Evanger, a parent will be called and they will rest in an area separate from others until they are picked up. Your child and any immediate household members will not be able to attend Evanger programming until they are fever-free for 48 hours without medication.

  • Evanger staff will stay up-to-date on state and local health department notices regarding the spread of COVID-19 in our area and may make sudden adjustments. This will be immediately communicated to families and staff.

  • Local health officials, staff, and families will be notified immediately of any possible case of COVID-19 at Evanger. Individual health information will remain confidential.

  • Any students being sent home are encouraged to contact their health provider for further guidance. For more information, visit the Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 webpage (health.mn.us.gov), or call the COVID-19 hotline at 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903.

 

Keep in mind if any of these symptoms seem apparent or worsen throughout the day, please keep your student home or you may be called to pick up your student.

  • New or worsening cough. 

  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. 

  • Headache. 

  • Repeated shaking with chills. 

  • Muscle pain. 

  • Sore throat. 

  • New loss of smell or taste. 

 

Requirements for returning to Evanger’s Programming

A 14-day quarantine will be required in the event that your child or anyone in your family experiences COVID-19 symptoms, with or without official clinical evaluation and/or a positive test. However, a fever itself, with no additional symptoms, does not require the 14-day quarantine, but instead, your child needs to be fever-free for 48 hours without medication.

 

In addition, pre-existing conditions, such as a chronic asthmatic cough, do not exclude children or staff from care. If you are concerned about any pre-existing conditions, please let us know. We have trust in your family and staff that this policy will be followed.

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5.   Social distancing practices. 

  • Students will have designated spaces at tables during class to promote social distancing. 

  • There will be no sharing of food or water bottles. 

 

6.   Face coverings. 

  • Masks will be made available to staff and volunteers.

  • Following along with the MDH requirement, students under the age of five (5) years old will NOT be required to wear a mask, but it is highly encouraged in shared spaces.

  • Staff, volunteers, parents, and students (5+ years old) will be required to wear a face mask according to current MDH & CDC guidelines.

 

7.   Ventilation. 

  • We will keep the doors propped open during our busy times such as drop-off and pick-up.

  • Outdoor activities are encouraged.

 

8.   Outdoor spaces. 

  • As weather permits, we will be meeting outdoors. 

  • Classes will continue to follow social distancing recommendations during outdoor activities.

 

9.   Meals, snacks, and drinking fountains. 

  • Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle if needed. Please label their water bottles.

  • No snacks will be provided.

 

10.   Communication and training about this plan. 

  • This plan was revised on August 24, 2020, and will be reviewed and updated as needed to meet the required guidelines. 

  • This information has been communicated with all children, youth, and family staff.

  • Staff, volunteers, and families will be kept up-tp-date on any changes to this plan. 

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