Or Shalom COVID-19 Precautions

Guidance for Or Shalom gatherings – Updated February 27, 2024

• Do not attend if you have COVID symptoms or have been exposed to COVID within the last 7 days.
• As we usually have elders or those with immune compromise at our general gatherings, the default option is to bring a mask and expect to wear it. This applies to all services and community events. Notify the OS office if you become sick with COVID within 7 days of an OS gathering.
• Various committees and classes can check in with each other to determine the need of masking for a particular meeting. AGAIN the general rule is to mask, or as the Ensemble does: either TEST or MASK.
• For example, the Music Ensemble recommends that members test before rehearsals and OS services, but it is not required for asymptomatic members. If the person does not test, then masking is required.

Or Shalom requires all eligible people to be fully vaccinated when participating in our programs (including booster for those eligible).

As of 2/27/24 San Francisco shows a High level of circulating COVID virus in our waste water, as well as high levels of influenza. These COVID numbers have dropped from persistent highs, and stable for a month. The California Department of Public Health recommends:

• Have KN95 masks and test kits available at home. Abbott Labs, the maker of BIMAX testing kits charges $16/kit. Walmart and Amazon are the same price. Others: $23.
  • Get Four Free At-⁠Home COVID-⁠19 Tests
• If symptoms of new illness develop, test for COVID and again the next day if the first test is negative.
• If COVID positive, stay at home until symptoms are mild and improving and any fever has been gone for 24 hours without medication. Wear a mask indoors around others for 10 days. Day 0 is the first day of symptoms. Avoid higher-risk people for 10 days.
• Masks can be removed indoors during the 10 days of mask safety ONLY if you have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart.
• Higher-risk people are the elderly, those who live in congregate care facilities, and those with immune compromising conditions.
• If COVID positive by testing but without ANY symptoms the person should wear a mask indoors around others for 10 days and avoid higher-risk people for 10 days. The national CDC still advises to stay at home for 5 days even with no symptoms.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

• Fever, chills, or repeated shaking/shivering
• Cough, sore throat
• Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing
• Feeling unusually weak or fatigued
• Loss of taste or smell
• Muscle pain, headache (more than usual)
• Runny nose or congested nose
• Diarrhea
• A temperature over 100 degrees

We continue to offer services and programs via Zoom for those who do not feel comfortable attending gatherings. When our services are not in person, we offer them on Zoom. Check our calendar for the latest programming.