This message is from Master Illadore de Bedegrayne, Kingdom Seneschal.

Greetings Æthelmearc,

I have had several questions about feasts in the past few weeks.

Bottomline – masks are required inside, at all times, by all participants (regardless of vaccination status) at events/practices/gatherings – if you
are in an area of high or substantial transmission. As of today, that is all of Æthelmearc. Not a single county in Æ is moderate or low in Covid transmission.

This means people cannot eat inside, and we cannot have feasts inside. If you are having feast outside (under the stars, in an open tent, under an open shelter), that’s fine – but – be mindful as that means that unvaccinated folks (including all kids under 12) have to eat away from others (or away with their families.)

My discussions with Duke Christopher in the past included how Covid-19 transmission has happened while people were eating – and that was pre-Delta, which is even more contagious than the previous strains. I have deep concerns about unvaccinated folks inside, unmasked, with other unvaccinated folks, for extended periods of time. Being together and eating for extended periods of time is pretty much the definition of a normal SCA feast.

I know, I don’t like it either. I deeply want to eat with my friends. This pandemic is terrible – but would be even worse than not having feast is my beloved Æ folks catching COVID and getting sick, passing it on to others, going to the hospital, or dying.

Please contact me or the Deputy Kingdom Seneschal for Pandemics (pandemic@aethelmearc.org) if you have any questions.

Illadore
Kingdom Seneschal
Æthelmearc

Pronouns: She/Her