Covid-19 Management Plan, V9b 4 August 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to be a time of great challenge for the world, and in NSW we are also facing a second wave of infections. As a church, our priorities remain:

• To honour God in all we do, seeking to grow Christians spiritually, and continue to share the gospel of hope and joy.
• To continue ministry but in necessarily new and adaptive forms. Our priority is the faithful preaching of God’s Word.
• We recognize that fellowship and unity are important, but to be nurtured in new ways.
• Our desire is to return to on-site services for all members of all congregations.
• Health and protection of our members is a high priority, especially the elderly, and we will comply with the NSW Government guidelines regarding meetings and hygiene.

This Covid-19 Management Plan forms the policy by which our church will operate our activities during the Covid period. The plan is updated regularly, as per government directives, and all members (especially leaders and coordinators of events) must comply with these rules.

New changes to these rules (compared to the previous version) have been marked in red.

WSCCC has been registered with the NSW Government as a Covid Safe Organisation.

Rules for bookings (as of 17 July, 2020)

• All activities on-site, including pre-existing ministries, must be first approved by a deacon or pastor, and availability booked through Gigi.
• No bookings by external organisations until further notice.
• All activities are subject to government guidelines – social distancing of 4sqm per person.
• Strict adherence to the new hygiene checklist, as per below, must be adhered to.

The following activities are allowed:

June 15

July 1

Aug 1

TBC

Social distancing measures

1. Maximum number allowable on site is dependent on the 4sqm rule as per above.
2. Seating: 4 sqm between seats, including small room meetings.
   1. Families (household members) do not need to distance from each other (can sit close to each other).
   2. *Youth and children do not need to distance from each other, as per school guidelines, but are advised to maintain good hygiene practices.
   3. Adults in youth/children’s ministries need to stay 1.5m from students.
3. Informal fellowship: 1.5m between people.
   1. As per NSW guidelines, mingling is discouraged.
   2. Attendees are encouraged to be seated, and to be apart.
4. No more than 2 people in the church elevator.
5. No:
   1. Congregational singing is not permitted.
      1. Performance singing (by music team only, on stage) is permissible, but must be 3m from the audience.
      2. Music teams should have only 1 singer on stage per group.
   2. No handshaking or hugging.
   3. No distribution of shared Bibles, bulletins, offering bags, platters.
6. Car-rides home:
   1. Appropriate measures should also be followed if providing other church members lifts to and from church activities. Cars should contain no more than 4 persons at one time.

Screening of all attendees

1. All attendees at church premises, whether staff, other attendees or contractors, must be screened as per below. If any of the following conditions are met, those people should not enter the building, and self-isolate:
   1. Respiratory symptoms (cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, colds).
   2. Temperature of 37.5 degrees C or higher (as tested by church).
   3. Travel within the past 14 days overseas or from Victoria.
   4. Have visited a venue in NSW with a confirmed Covid case, as listed by NSW Government.
   5. Close contact with someone known to have tested positive for Covid.
2. Those people should immediately be tested for Covid at a testing unit.
   1. People awaiting the outcome of a Covid test should not attend church on site.
3. People with persistent respiratory symptoms, despite a negative Covid test, should still isolate from church until symptoms resolve.

Hygiene checklist – to be followed by all groups

1. A leader/coordinator is to be listed as responsible for each activity on site. They will be responsible for all of the following.
2. Mandatory attendance register for all attendees:
   1. Sheet/book at entrance.
   2. All attendees must provide name, email, and phone number.
   3. Limits to number of attendees must be strictly adhered to.
   4. At the end of the event, please remove the page and place under office door for Gigi to keep for 28 days.
3. Temperatures to be checked (by a designated person) for attendees.
4. Face masks must be worn by all attendees at all church events on site (not just services). Individuals must provide their own masks.
   1. Exceptions who may remove masks: individuals speaking on stage during video recording (preachers, chairpersons, song leaders, people praying, Bible readers). These people must demonstrate an obvious minimum 1.5m distance from other people.
   2. Youth group attendees of school-age (ie Glue, but not uni) may choose to wear masks if they wish (or not), as per the same guidelines for attending school. Leaders must wear masks.
5. Hand sanitizer will be provided by church at each hall or entrance.
6. Leaders of that event must organise someone to:
   1. Wipe down common surfaces prior to the event.
   2. After the event, using disinfectant available, wipe down tables, chairs, door handles, and handrails. If used, also music equipment, AV and elevator buttons.
   3. Those people cleaning must wear gloves and use disinfectant.

Other hygiene measures

1. Doors to be kept open where possible.
2. Cushions in chapel to be removed temporarily.
3. Hygiene/Covid information posters will be placed on walls.
4. Formal thorough cleaning will be done by our cleaners twice a week.

Food service

1. Morning tea/supper – only pre-packaged food.
2. Tea and coffee are permissible.
3. No communal catered or pot-luck meals to be served.
4. Heating personal meals (for self only) via microwave are permissible.

Home-based ministries

1. We encourage church members to maintain fellowship and ministry activities at homes.
2. Our guidelines are:
   1. As per NSW recommendations, maximum 10 visitors to one home (excluding the host family).
   2. People with symptoms, travel history or exposure to Covid-positive people should NOT attend others’ homes.
   3. Maintain 4sqm distancing or 1.5m between people.
   4. Maintain similar hygiene measures as per onsite ministries.

Attendees who develop symptoms

Symptomatic members

Members should not attend if they have respiratory symptoms or fever, and should be tested for Covid.

If a member tests positive after a church event

• 1. Appropriate medical care for the person as advised by Covid clinic. 
  2. Close contacts (as advised by Dept of Health) should be tested for Covid, and be quarantined for 14 days. All church members are encouraged to download the CovidSafe app so they know if they are exposed.
  3. Announcements to be made to church members, especially those who have attended the same events as the affected person.
  4. Diaconate to consider closing church building, or that service, for 2, 7 or 14 days.
  5. Thorough cleaning of premises.