At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, DC, Cleveland & Woodley Park Village suspended all in-person gatherings based on guidelines from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and DC Health.  Our core principle for that decision was the health, safety and wellbeing of our members and volunteers.  We also aimed to meet the needs of our members by providing virtual programs (e.g., conference calls and Zoom meetings) and alternative methods for meeting needs during the crisis (e.g., online grocery deliveries.)

 

Mayor Bowser has reopened Washington, DC under a staged approach, currently operating under Phase 2 which currently restricts groups to 25 persons, with some exceptions for houses of worship and businesses. On a federal level, on March 8, 2021, the CDC issued “Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People.” This guidance is the first set of public health recommenations for fully vaccinated people and will be updated as new data become available.  Most importantly, the guidance stipulates that “people are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 ≥2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or ≥2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson)”

 

The CDC guidance states that fully vaccinated people can:

• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing

• Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing

• Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic

In alignment with our core principle of ensuring the health and safety of our members and volunteers and in consideration of the Mayor’s ReOpen DC Plan and the CDC’s interim guidance, the Cleveland & Woodley Park Village will now operate under a new policy in compliance with our values and current city regulations and federal guidance.

 

Specifically, the Cleveland & Woodley Park Village will:

• Sponsor indoor activities in non-commercial establishments (e.g., private homes) among small groups of fully vaccinated people without the mandate for wearing masks or physical distancing.

• Facilitate indoor services (for social visits, light household repairs, technology assistance, etc) for fully vaccinated members.

• Provide transportation to members without limitation of the purpose of the trip.

• Facilitate outside groups up to 25 people with physical distancing and wearing masks.

 

We will also continue virtual programs, member check-in calls, and other activities that do not require individuals to gather.  Over time, some programs may lend themselves to being held in person, but we are committed to offering both in-person and virtual programs so that the greatest number of members may participate and feel comfortable doing so. The Village office will remain closed at this time, but staff members will continue to work remotely and special projects among those fully vaccinated may take place in the Village office.

 

As the CDC guidance points out, “fully vaccinated people should continue to:

• Take precautions in public like wearing a well-fitted mask and physical distancing

• Wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease

• Wear masks, maintain physical distance, and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households

• Avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings

• Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms”

We recognize that after a year of physical distancing and other precautions, there will be a range of comfort levels among the members of our Village community and are therefore taking a careful approach to implementing these new activities.  Most importantly, for those members and volunteers who have been fully vaccinated, we ask that you show proof of your vaccination to a staff member prior to attending an in-person Village event or service intended for those fully vaccinated.  Proof may be shown virtually to a staff member.

Furthermore, the Village continues to encourage all volunteers to assess their own health prior to volunteering.  Note that under the current DC Health vaccination eligibility guidelines, outreach workers (broadly defined to include volunteers according to city officials) who work in health, human and social services are currently eligible to register for a vaccine.  Volunteers wishing to provide direct services (e.g, driving members, providing social visits, performing household tasks, etc.) are encouraged to register for a vaccine appointment at https://coronavirus.dc.gov/vaccinatedc.

 

We continue to hold that if for any reason a volunteer feels uncomfortable with undertaking a previously agreed-upon volunteer activity, that volunteer should be aware that it is acceptable to contact the office and to not perform the task.  Additionally, if a volunteer has tested positive for COVID-19, we will not allow that individual to serve in any capacity until they have received a subsequent negative test for COVID-19.

 

The Village will continue to look to ways to meet members’ needs and offer engaging, social/educational programs in a manner that puts the health, safety and wellbeing of our vulnerable population at the forefront.

 

The Village will revisit this policy periodically, as necessary, and keep members, volunteers, and others informed of any changes.