At Alder Commons everyone is required to:
- Wear a mask when indoors at Alder Commons.
- N95s (or equivalent) or surgical masks only. See exceptions for children under 2 and people with some types of disabilities.
- Stay home from Alder Commons when symptomatic, positive for COVID, or exposed to COVID. See details.
This agreement applies to members, staff, the board, and the public.
Members, please help staff enforce these agreements by reminding people who forget to put on a mask, start eating indoors, etc.
Other things that Alder Commons is doing to reduce COVID risks:
- Running air filters and fans inside.
- Bringing in outdoor air by opening doors and windows.
- Limiting the number of people in each room.
- Providing a covered outdoor eating space.
- Making masks, COVID tests, and hand sanitizer available.
FAQ
- Are there any exceptions to the masking rule?
- Can I wear a cloth mask?
- How does Alder Commons’ HVAC system work?
- How many people can be in a room at one time?
- I have symptoms, but it’s just allergies.
- I have cold, flu, or COVID symptoms.
- I tested positive for COVID.
- I had “close contact” with someone who tested positive for COVID.
- Someone I live/work/spend a lot of time with had “close contact” with someone who tested positive for COVID.
Are there any exceptions to the masking rule?
Yes. The following groups don’t have to mask indoors:
- Children under 2
- People with self-attested disabilities that affect their ability to mask
Anyone can pull down their mask briefly to:
- Sip a drink.
- Speak, but only if someone present relies on lipreading.
Occasionally, eating and drinking is allowed in the Lounge, but only when there are serious environmental hazards, like extreme heat, extreme cold, smoke, wasps, etc. If you do this, you must turn on the air filter and post on Slack that masks were off in the room.
Can I wear a cloth mask?
No. You must wear an N95 (or equivalent) or a surgical mask. We have free masks at the front entrance.
How does Alder Commons’ HVAC system work?
Our HVAC system is split into three zones: east, middle, and west. The fan in each zone turns on periodically, even if the AC/heat is off, to help cycle the air. We change the HVAC filters quarterly.
How many people can be in a room at one time?
No more than 20.
Occasionally, we allow up to 30 people in the Lounge, with the doors propped open.
What to do if you have symptoms, test positive for COVID, or get exposed to COVID
I have symptoms, but it’s just allergies.
If you have allergies all the time, please test yourself for COVID regularly. Sometimes COVID mimics allergy symptoms. We have COVID tests at Alder Commons if you need one.
I have cold, flu, or COVID symptoms.
If you have cold, flu, or COVID symptoms, including:
- Fever
- Unusual congestion
- Unusual headache or body aches
- Unusual cough
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of taste or smell
Stay home from Alder Commons for 14 days from the date you started having symptoms.
I tested positive for COVID.
Stay home from Alder Commons until your symptoms have been gone for 10 days.
If you were at Alder Commons within 5 days of your positive COVID test, please notify staff. Staff will notify other members of a possible exposure. You can get in touch with staff by emailing us at [email protected].
I had “close contact” with someone who tested positive for COVID.
In this agreement, “close contact” means you and the person who tested positive were:
- In the same room indoors + unmasked + or any amount of time
OR
- In the same room indoors + masked + for an hour or longer
OR
- Outdoors + unmasked while eating or talking + 6 feet or closer + for 30 minutes or longer
If you had close contact, you have two options:
- Stay home from Alder Commons for 14 days from the last incident of close contact. After 14 days, you can return to Alder Commons.
OR
-
Stay home from Alder Commons for 5 days from the last incident of close contact. After 5 days, if you have no symptoms of infection, you can return to Alder Commons after you get a:
- Negative PCR test
OR
- 2 negative rapid antigen tests taken 48 hours apart
If you need help sorting out what to do, please contact us at [email protected]!
Someone I live/work/spend a lot of time with had “close contact” with someone who tested positive for COVID.
In this agreement, “close contact” means the person you live/work/spend a lot of time with, and the person who tested positive, were:
- In the same room indoors + unmasked + or any amount of time
OR
- In the same room indoors + masked + for an hour or longer
OR
- Outdoors + unmasked while eating or talking + 6 feet or closer + for 30 minutes or longer
If the person you live/work/spend a lot of time with, and the person who tested positive, had close contact, you have two options:
- Stay home from Alder Commons for 14 days from the last incident of close contact. After 14 days, you can return to Alder Commons.
OR
-
Stay home from Alder Commons for 5 days from the last incident of close contact. After 5 days, if you have no symptoms of infection, you can return to Alder Commons after you get a:
- Negative PCR test
OR
- 2 negative rapid antigen tests taken 48 hours apart
If you need help sorting out what to do, please contact us at [email protected]!
Last Updated: September 19th, 2024
