After discussions with his Grace, Duke Christopher, Deputy Kingdom Seneschal for Pandemics, and with Roane County, WV going back into Moderate (thank you Universe!!), folks are allowed back in the cabins to sleep inside. Masks are no longer required inside for those who are vaccinated. (Unvaccinated folks are required to wear masks at all times at events.)
Again, all groups who are in the cabins had to submit safety plans to the Autocrat and are still *required* to keep to those plans.
From the Kingdom Seneschale regarding Blackstone Raid:
Greetings from Illadore,
After discussion with SCA Corporate, it has been decided that *UNLESS* the county makes it back to Moderate or Low transmission (as determined by the CDC Covid County Tracker for Transmission), folks **will not** be allowed to sleep inside in cabins (unless they are single families and already living together.)
Individuals can bring tents and put them up on the property. Please contact the local Autocrat if you need more information. There are also local hotels still available within a half hour of the site as well.
I know this is not ideal. It is our hope that Roane County, WV’s numbers will improve by Thursday.
Thank you,
Illadore de Bedegrayne
Kingdom Seneschal
Second, the COVIDSafe policy has been updated. Now, individuals
attending the event make the attestation and have to sign it when they
come to the event, not the COVIDSafe checker.
I know we’ve had a number of changes lately. We have another one. Corporate has informed me that the previous sign in sheet does not match their requirements. Here’s the updated information:
1. Everyone who physically attends an event/practice/gathering/etc. has to provide their name and contact information. That should go to the local Seneschal and be kept for 60 days. You only need name and contact information.
2. The attestation sheet should be a separate sheet and should go to the Kingdom Seneschal – a picture of that signed sheet should be emailed to aecovid@aethelmearc.org – or send it to the Kingdom Seneschal via regular mail, and that address can be found in the Æstel.
Basically, Corporate et al did not like us combining the two sheets. However, this should streamline the process a bit – Covid Vax/Test Checkers can just visibly look at persons’ ID and proof and wave them through, and then sign the attestation form once Gate/Troll/Practice is over. The Checkers do not have to write anything else down.
I am sorry for the confusion. My deepest apologies and I greatly greatly appreciate your patience.
EDIT: THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN SUPERCEDED. DO NOT USE THE FORM DISCUSSED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
Master Illadore de Bedegrayne, Kingdom Seneschal, made this announcement:
Greetings!
Dame Ursula of Roen has made a AE Covid Check and Contact Tracing Sheet!
You are not required to use this specific sheet; however, it is handy and has all the required information. I’ve attached the PDF and here’s also the Google Link to the document.
Thank you all for your patience while we work through the processes and procedures.
Illadore Kingdom Seneschal
Dame Ursula further clarified:
Greetings,
This is meant for non-events or in addition to your event troll sheet. Also, there should be ONE checker per each sheet, meaning, if you sign in more than 25 people as a checker you will be signing off on multiple sheets, or you may be signing a less-than-full sheet if you check less than 25 people in your checking time. It covers both the COVID check-in process and the contact tracing currently necessary for SCA gatherings and is meant to be printed prior to the gathering and filled out manually since electronic signatures are not currently allowed for this process.
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.
Due to the upswing in COVID-19 transmission, and in consultation with our Deputy Kingdom Seneschal for Pandemics, and Their Royal Majesties, we are now requiring all participants at SCA Æthelmearc events, practices, and gatherings, in counties with High and Substantial levels of transmission of COVID-19, to wear CDC recommended masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.
As you can see, unfortunately, much of AEthelmearc falls in this category as of Sunday, August 8th.
As a reminder – if someone is not fully vaccinated or is unvaccinated, they must wear a CDC recommended mask over their mouth and nose at all times at SCA events, practices, and gatherings (save when one is eating and drinking off by themselves.) This guidance also covers children above the age of 2 and who are not vaccinated.
To be clear, at this time, vaccinated folks do not have to be masked outdoors.
I know this is not what we wanted – I like many were hoping we’d have this pandemic behind us soon. Until that time, please take care and be safe and please get vaccinated if you can.
Thank you so much,
Always,
Illadore de Bedegrayne
Kingdom Seneschal
AEthelmearc
We are going to enforce this (with everyone, not just kids) with kindness and empathy. Everyone should be kindly reminded to wear their masks if they are not vaccinated. Nobody other than a child’s parent should be yelling at their kids without masks. Parents should be reminded, gently, and with tolerance and understanding. Kids are going to kid – some of them are absolute Houdinis and ninjas and we need to be mindful as much as we can.
We are doing this because we are concerned for children’s safety as there are some very contagious variants out there that are affecting children.
The Board has further announced that the language in the following resolution must appear on all event notices, flyers, online announcements, and advertisements, as well as being posted in multiple locations at any and all SCA-sponsored functions going forward.
First and foremost, Their Majesties, the Deputy Kingdom Seneschal for Pandemics (Duke Christopher), the Earl Marshal (Master Morien) and I have determined that Æthelmearc can start fighting and fencing again, starting May 10, 2021.
This change is due to the Board of Directors and Society Seneschal’s clarifications on what is allowed at SCA events and gatherings.
To clarify: fencing and fighting can start May 10, 2021. However, all participants must follow SCA guidelines:
Everyone must wear a mask. (This means over the mouth and nose, not over the helm.)
You can only take your mask off to eat or drink – and you must be stationary AND follow social distancing guidelines.
You must bring your own food and water.
All fencing and fighting must be outside. (This is a change from gatherings.)
The SCA also will not require vaccinations to participate; however, if a site owner (including homeowners) is requiring people to be vaccinated to come to their home, they have the right to do that. Enforcement, however, is on them, not the SCA. It is the homeowner who is responsible for deciding what proof they will accept, for any checking of that proof, and for any enforcement. It needs to be made clear that this is a rule of the homeowner, not the branch of the SCA.
Thank you so much and please contact me if you have any questions.
Addendum
As most of you have heard or seen, we are allowing fighting and fencing as of May 10th and I am so excited to get back out there and stab people. However, I have been asked a few questions about the lifting of the fencing and fighting ban, so I thought I would cover a few of them today.
Here’s what is required by the Board of Directors, the President of the SCA, the Society Seneschal, and AEthelmearc:
For practices: masks must be worn at all times, no food or water will be provided, if you want to consume food or water you must be stationary and follow social distancing guidelines, and all fencing and fighting practices must be outdoors. That last is a change from gatherings like sewing circles and scribal night. These are for small practices. If you have a large regional practice, that is an event.
For events, all of the above is required – PLUS pre-registration is required, and maximum of 150 people.
Let’s talk masks because that is where I am getting the most questions. The Society Seneschal’s guidance is that masks must follow CDC guidelines. That means two layers of breathable cloth fabric, or a disposable medical mask, it must completely cover your nose and mouth, no valves, no see through fabric or the like.
The mask MUST be against your face and cover your mouth and nose – not over your helm or fencing mask. That has been clarified by the Society Seneschal specifically. A plastic shield is not sufficient. However, if you have a new design idea, the Board of Directors is interested, particularly if it has already been fabricated.
Masks are, full stop, a requirement. If someone will not wear one, they must be asked to leave by the Marshal in charge, Autocrat, or local seneschal. Now, masks slip now and then or people are forgetful. We should all be kind and remind each other of the rules. However, if someone won’t comply, they cannot stay at the SCA event. Period. If there is an issue with non-compliance, contact me or your regional seneschal immediately.
Food and water questions: Yes, you can give water to the people you live with and hand a sandwich to your child; however, that’s it. No communal water (and especially no more drinking out of the same tube in a water jug anymore.) We can give out sealed water bottles; however. Just please recycle.
Demos: Yes, we can do demos; however, there needs to be a barrier between the SCA and the rest of the public. Think of two sets of list ropes, an inner rope where we can do our activities, and an outer rope where the public can stand. Also, yes at demos, we must wear masks, in addition to any other state and local guidelines.
Also, when you first get out there, I recommend bringing more water than you think you’ll need. I also recommend bringing several masks to change out, as it gets hard to breath through masks when they get soaked from sweat and heavy breathing.
Good morning!
