Health and Safety

Please be advised that as you enter the venue for any of our events, you will be greeted by the following important information:

Independence Squares asks that you NOT attend this event if you have experienced any of the following symptoms in the past 48 hours:

• Fever or chills, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, headache
• Cough that is new or getting worse
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing that is new or getting worse
• Fatigue (feeling tired all the time)
• Muscle or body aches
• Unusual rash
• New loss of taste or smell
• Congestion or runny nose that is new and is not related to allergies

Additionally, we ask that you NOT attend this event if you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 4 days.

By entering, you acknowledge that you understand the health risk of participating in a community activity such as square dancing, and you further acknowledge that you assume that risk. You also acknowledge that you agree to notify Independence Squares if you test positive for COVID-19, or become symptomatic within 5 days of this event.

Bottom line: If you’re not feeling well, please protect your fellow dancers and stay home.

The Independence Squares board continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely. The guidelines below are subject to change based on case numbers. Please read future announcements sent via email and check back here for updates.

If you would like to research more information about COVID-19 trends, here is a site which might be helpful:
– PA Dept. of Health: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Cases.aspx

Additional information is available through the New York Times COVID newsletter here: NY Times

Independence Squares is committed to the safety of all attendees at our events.  We are aware that COVID is not over and continue to be aware of people’s concerns about not transmitting or being infected with the COVID virus. We are keeping an eye on the incidence of COVID infection, hospitalization, and ICU admittance. We are prepared to revise these recommendations based on further changes in conditions and on the recommendations of agencies such as the CDC, US Public Health Services, the FDA, IAGSDC, and our club and wider square dance communities. The Board of directors has updated our safety protocols as follows: 

• Masks: Independence Squares does not require dancers to wear face masks during dancing. Mask-wearing is optional all classes and workshops. We recommend that people wear masks to help protect ourselves and each other and IS will continue to make masks available at our events. The club supports the decision of any attendee who wishes to wear a face mask.
• COVID Vaccinations: : Independence Squares no longer requires dancers and callers to be up-to-date with their COVID vaccinations and boosters. We no longer require proof of vaccinations/boosters to attend our dances and classes. We encourage all in our square dance community to keep informed of the offerings from the FDA and consult with their care providers and get the vaccines and boosters that are appropriate for their circumstances.
• Health and Safety: We encourage frequent hand washing and/or using hand sanitizer immediately after each tip.
• Snacks: If you wish to bring snacks to one of our events to share with others, we encourage you to bring items that come in individual servings.

Health Related Communications

The Board of Directors of Independence Squares will continue to monitor COVID-19 trends and our safety protocols and will make certain to communicate any protocol changes to the membership. Such notification will be done through our Google Group email list. The same list will be used to notify our dancers of possible exposures if a dancer informs us of a positive COVID-19 test within 5 days of one of our events. The identity of the dancer will not be revealed.

If you are not on our Google Groups list but wish to receive notifications from us, please inform us as follows:

• To receive all emails that are sent out by Independence Squares, including protocol changes, notification of upcoming events, and notification of possible health related exposures at one of our events, you can join our Google Group here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/independence-squares/join.

• To receive only notifications of a possible health related exposure at one of our events, email your request to: independencesquares@hotmail.com.

In either case, you can relay your wishes to us in person at any of our events by speaking with a club officer.