Pacific Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Even though the CDC has lifted the Public Health Emergency declaration as of May 11th, 2023, a ‘summer spike’ of new cases of CoVid-19 are being reported in the US and around the world; even though the CDC is not recommending mask wearing or restrictions on gatherings, our fellowship with many people at increased risk due to age and other pre-existing conditions is again called on to be educated and exercise caution. Several of our members have tested positive for Covid in the last few weeks of July and early August. Immunity is waning from previous vaccinations. A new Omicron variant named Eris has been identified and is extremely infectious and difficult to avoid. The total numbers of cases remain low, but incidence of new cases is climbing. Some guidelines and precautions we can follow to reduce the risk to our community and ourselves are again to be considered. Please follow these precautions even if you think you are not high risk.

1. Wash your hands frequently using soap and water, and scrub for at least 20 seconds.
2. Sneeze or cough into a tissue (or, less ideally, into the crook of your elbow), not your hand, and wash your hands immediately after.
3. Avoid touching your face, especially your mouth, nose and eyes, with unwashed hands.
4. Regularly disinfect frequently touched surfaces including door knobs and countertops.
5. Use hand sanitizer, rubbing it on all surfaces of your hands and allowing it to air dry.
6. Stay home if you are sick. Avoid contact with someone who is sick. (This means avoiding being in close quarters with crowds of strangers from many remote locations and wearing a mask if you can’t avoid being in close quarters.)
7. Greet others in non-physical or low contact ways, avoiding handshakes and hugging in favor of fist bumps, shoulder touches or even bowing.

Even though the CDC may not be emphasizing it just yet, we again should probably avoid hand holding during services, so just standing or linking elbows is encouraged as an alternative in our closing circle. As before, the symptoms of CoVid-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. A runny nose or diarrhea are not symptoms of coronavirus infection. Stay home if you have fever or cough and call your health care provider. If your symptoms are more severe, go to the hospital. Home testing kits are available in packs of five at your local pharmacy. Testing should be done approximately 48-72 hours after onset of symptoms and repeated after 48 hours if not positive on the first try or if symptoms persist or return.  The links below are provided for recent updates to guidelines and background info. All are encouraged to explore this topic further. A new COVID booster vaccine is coming in September. It is a good idea to stay current in your vaccinations.  Stay informed on utility and safety of vaccines as they become available. https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2023-03-24/covid-is-still-out-there-heres-what-to-do-if-you-get-it-now   https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/07/28/1190443473/the-cdc-sees-signs-of-a-late-summer-covid-wave