Stay up-to-date with COVID-19 and its effects on RSC.
Page last updated: March 14, 2022
Current Expectations of RSC Community Members
As vaccination rates have increased, RSC has adjusted its guidelines in accordance with state recommendations. Please read the following bullet points for information about our expectations at this time. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Lindsey Robb at l.robb@rivers.org.
- If you are not feeling well, please stay home.
- Masking: Beginning on Monday, March 14, masks will be optional in RSC buildings, including Bradley Hall, Blackwell House, and the Rivers Campus Center. However, we ask that masks continue to be worn at all concerts and recitals. Performers can take their masks off when they play their instrument, but please put it back on when not playing. Additionally, please continue to wear masks at large rehearsals involving more than 25 people.
- Given the high rate of vaccination in our community and the continuing trend of decreasing numbers of infection, this decision aligns with the DESI and Weston Department of Health guidelines
- Of course, we support anyone who chooses to wear a mask, and we ask students to respect any requests by faculty to wear a mask during a lesson/coaching/rehearsal. There are many reasons why people may choose to continue wearing a mask and we are committed to respecting those choices.
- Symptomatic Individuals: Any individual, regardless of vaccination status, who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms must stay home. Individuals may return to RSC with improving symptoms and a negative PCR or antigen test or receive an alternative medical diagnosis from your PCP. Antigen tests may be self-administered.
- Testing positive: If you test positive for COVID-19 (regardless of vaccination status), please quarantine for 5 days after symptom onset or after a positive PCR or antigen test. You can return to RSC on the 6th day if you have been without fever for 24 hours (without taking fever-reducing medications) and experienced improvement in symptoms.
- Close Contact Policy Update: In consultation with the Weston Local Board of Health, Rivers will be following current DESE guidelines, which state that asymptomatic, fully vaccinated individuals who are close contacts are exempt from quarantine and testing. “Fully vaccinated” is currently defined by DESE as being “two weeks post the completion of the Pfizer or Moderna series or two weeks post a single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.”
- Close contacts who are unvaccinated must quarantine for at least 5 days from the date of exposure. After five days, they can return on day 6 provided that they remain asymptomatic and conduct active monitoring for symptoms through day 10. All close contacts are asked to monitor for symptoms for 10 days and are recommended to test on day five.
- If an individual has symptoms at the time they are designated as a close contact or within the 5 days following initial exposure, they follow the protocol for symptomatic individuals. If an individual tests positive at any time, they follow the protocol for individuals who test positive for COVID-19. For all those exposed, best practice would also include an antigen or PCR test for COVID-19 at day 5 after exposure. An antigen test may be self-administered and does not need to be proctored or performed by a healthcare professional.
- For wind players, bell covers are required for brass instruments, but instrument covers/bags are optional for woodwinds.