COVID-19 & Other Illness Protocols

06/12/23 Update

Protohaven follows the health department guidelines regarding masking and does not require masks for fully vaccinated users when community levels are medium or low. You are welcome to continue to wear a mask if you choose.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

Before coming to Protohaven, we ask that members and visitors you:

Pass a self-screen for common symptoms of COVID and other illnesses such as the flu or common cold, including, but not limited to:

• Fever
• Cough or shortness of breath
• Change in sense of taste or smell, and
• Have not had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days
• If anyone coming into Protohaven has had symptoms of any illnesses or has been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID, we ask that they not return to the shop until they either receive a negative COVID test result, or wait 10 days after their last symptoms or contact.

While using the shop, we ask everyone to:

• Wear a cloth facemask if not vaccinated
• Respect other’s comfort levels regarding mask wearing and space
• Regularly wash their hands
• Ask for any necessary cleaning supplies to disinfect any areas of use, if necessary.

If you have any questions about these protocols, please contact us at hello@protohaven.org.

If, after leaving the shop, a visitor develops common COVID symptoms, we ask that they get tested for Covid-19 and share the results with us. This allows us to take the appropriate cleaning, testing, and notification measures if the test comes back positive.

6/28/21 Update

Masks requirements at Protohaven significantly reduced, some still in place

Starting today, June 28, 2021, members, students, and guests of Protohaven who are fully vaccinated may choose to remove their masks in the space if they remain more than 6 feet away from anyone who is wearing a mask.

If you are vaccinated: this means you must still bring a mask to Protohaven, but may choose to remove it if you maintain social distance of six feet from anyone wearing a mask. You are also more than welcome to continue to wear a mask if you choose.

If you are not yet fully vaccinated (including children): this means you must continue to wear a mask at Protohaven until further notice.

This policy update was made in light of loosening Pennsylvania Department of Health requirements regarding mask wearing, while recognizing that some members of our community may not be able to receive a vaccine for medical reasons. Others may be fully vaccinated, but may not yet be comfortable being in public without their mask, or in close proximity to others not wearing masks.

We ask each member of our community to mindfully follow these new guidelines out of respect for each other, and in the effort to continue the path to a healthy and more equitable society.

Protohaven’s number one shop rule is Safety, and we treat the COVID-19 pandemic as a serious health concern affecting not only those who use the shop, but those they come in contact with outside of the shop.

We also recognize the important role the shop plays in the work and lives of our students, members, and partners.

In order to allow us to remain open in a limited capacity and to mitigate health risks to a reasonable level, we follow all applicable Federal, State, and Municipal health guidelines and have instituted the following visitor expectations and additional protocols.

Before you come to the shop Before coming to Protohaven, we ask everyone to verify that they:

• Pass a self-screen for common Covid symptoms, meaning
• No fever
• No cough or shortness of breath
• No change in sense of taste or smell, and
• Have not had close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid in the last 10 days
• Use the online calendar to schedule a time to visit the shop, so we have a record of all visitors
• If someone has had symptoms or contact, we ask that they not return to the shop until they either receive a negative Covid test result, or wait 10 days after their last symptoms or contact.

While using the shop, we ask everyone to:

• Wear a cloth facemask, unless they are both fully vaccinated and more that six feet from anyone wearing a mask
• Regularly wash their hands, and
• Carry a supplied cleaning kit and wipe down commonly-touched surfaces before and after use

If, after leaving the shop, a visitor develops common Covid symptoms, we ask that they get tested for Covid-19 and share the results with us. This allows us to take the appropriate cleaning, testing, and notification measures if the test comes back positive.

In addition to the listed visitor expectations, we have also put in place the following protocols:

• Limit overall building occupancy to 18 people (30% of capacity for the 12,000 sf building)
• Limit individual area occupancy to 1-5 people (depending on area size)
• Limit class size to 5 people (4 students and 1 instructor)
• Provide weekly professional cleaning of the building

In the event of a positive Covid test by a visitor to the space, the space will also temporarily close until:

• All those present in the space at the same time as the infected person have been notified,
• All those determined to have been a close contact with the infected person in the space either test negative or begin a 10 day quarantine before returning, and
• A professional cleaning of the building has been completed

If you have any questions about these protocols, please contact us at hello@protohaven.org.