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EDIT: THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN SUPERCEDED.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.
This is just a quick update to keep you informed of our progress tp Pennsic 49.
Over the last month the Pennsic 49 senior executive has met with the Crowns and Seneschals of the East, Midrealm, and Æthelmearc. We have discussed specific issue regarding the planning and running of Pennsic 49 and are discussing options and figuring out ways to run it safely, albeit maybe a little differently. Those plans are still under consideration, discussion, and planning, but we are still moving forward to our well-published final decision date of May 30.
I am aware that the Known World Seneschals have met with the SCA Inc. Executive Board over a range of issues prior to the full SCA Inc. Board meeting, I think some time in April. I am not aware, nor do I need to know the specifics of that meeting, however we were asked and did supply representation at the meeting to field any Pennsic War-specific questions.
We are continuing to plan for Pennsic 49 in 2021 until either 30 May 2021 or our hand is forced to make a decision sooner.
The good news is the the COVID-19 overlay is getting better in the USA, UK, and parts of Europe week by week. I pray it keeps going that way with the vaccines roll out.
I know this is not the news many need right now, but I’m letting you all know so that you can plan accordingly and be as aware as we are. Sorry I can’t say more.
As promised, I am sending this message out to keep you all informed as to how we are progressing to Pennsic 49. The reason for the update is so that you are able to walk the decision making path with me in a clear and transparent manner and know the rationale behind any decisions we, the Pennsic Management Team are making.
First of all I want you to all know that we are still planning for Pennsic 49 in 2021. I want to make it very clear that we are “planning,” not holding Pennsic 49 next week, as we are still months away from either the Pennsic 49 decision date at the end of May or the Pennsic War event itself.
Let me explain for those that have never seen behind the running of a major event like Pennsic… it does take a lot of planning and organisation. We can’t just start organising it at the end of June and get it all in place. The Pennsic War Management Staff and myself as Mayor of Pennsic start the process two years out from the Pennsic War we are running. I won’t go through all the boring administrative details, but it is a long and well managed process.
However, you need to be assured that I will adopt the same fact-based and health-informed approach to the planning for Pennsic 49 this year, as I did last year. I fully understand the concerns you all have about any large event at this time, but I still need to continue the planning required well ahead of the event itself.
The same timeline will be adopted again for this year as it was for last year and we have a decision date which at this stage is at the end of May 2021, give or take a week. We still have just under 6 months till Pennsic 49, and I am prepared to support the PSG and deliver the hard call if need be, the same as I did last year. Note the SCA Inc have currently suspended all SCA events until May 30, 2021. Those types of decisions are out of my control.
I also want you to understand that we are much further ahead this year regarding our knowledge of COVID-19 than we were at the same time last year. And yes, we are fully aware that mutant strains are evolving and that vaccines are being rolled out. However, these things need to be observed and evaluated over the next few months and consideration given as to what effect they are having on the COVID 19 health overlay, nation and worldwide. This in itself will form a large part of our decision-making package and like last year will always be based on current, up to date, CDC plus local State and County Health information.
I will not endanger people or risk Pennsic 49 becoming a “Super-spreader Event” just for the sake of having an SCA event. I am fully aware that people have concerns. At this stage I again reiterate that we are “planning” for Pennsic 49, not running Pennsic 49 right now. You all trusted me last year and those of you that know me, should know that I have no “ego” about being Mayor of Pennsic 49. I view myself as the custodian of the Pennsic War event, which encompasses the safety of attendees, organizers, staff and public community that surrounds the Pennsic War. I will not risk any these for the sake of swinging a stick, camping with friends and having a few pints around a campfire.
I hope this update helps you all understand the process we are going through. I will keep you updated with future posts when new information is available.
The Resolution to Suspend In-Person SCA Activity until January 31, 2021, has been updated. The SCA Board of Directors is suspending events through May 31st, 2021.
Hello Æthelmearc!
