The WA State Department of Health has two checklists for schools related to choir, band, theater and dance: DOH Health and Safety Measures (see page 18) and the L&I Employer Health and Safety Requirements for School Scenarios (see Section 7) on which school requirements are now aligned. WFIS has outlined details from both documents below to make things easier for your school.
General performing arts recommendations
- room occupancy limited to 15 students and distancing must be 9 feet between students and instructors.
- limited to 30 minutes.
- students must wear a 3-layer surgical style, well-fitting mask (except wind instrumentalists)
- wind instrument players must use a mask adapted for playing & have covers for their instruments designed to filter aerosols (see below)
- Instructors for practice sessions have a medium exposure risk and must use a non-cloth disposable mask: dust mask, KN95 or other NIOSH-style filtering face-piece respirators.
- Limit duration of activity to 30 minutes.
- Time between practice sessions should be 20 minutes to allow for a minimum of 1 air exchange rate (ACH) between groups using a space, although 3 ACH is preferred.
*ONLY practice sessions are permitted at this time. Live performances, assemblies, and other large gatherings of students and staff are prohibited.
Additional points:
- Clean instruments and equipment using COVID-19 Instrument Cleaning Guidelines as well as manufacturer recommendations.
- Avoid shared music, instruments, or other supplies; and perform safe storage options for equipment.
- Instrumentalists must control spit valve releases in a manner that prevents spread, and wash hands immediately after.
Choir/Singing & Theater/Drama
- Follow all general performing arts recommendations listed above.
- If singing, shouting, or cheering, a 3-layer surgical style, well-fitting mask is required.
- No contact between students.
Modifications required while playing wind instruments
Adapted Masks while playing wind instruments:
- surgical-style mask with a slit for instrument mouthpiece, or face covering with tightly woven, stretchy overlapping fabric that allows access for the instrument mouthpiece and re-closes over the outside of the mouthpiece.
Instrument Modifications:
- brass & woodwind instruments should have specially designed bell covers of multiple layers of tightly woven fabric, ideally with the middle layer being MERV-13 filter material, which securely covers the entire bell of the instrument.
- Flutes and recorders should use a tightly woven cloth material over the end of the barrel.
- Bags with hand openings are another option for woodwind instruments to limit aerosol spread.
