Faith Organizations

A Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce Initiative in Partnership with the Business Community, Town Governments and Residents

Faith Organizations

PATH FORWARD READINESS PLAN

Faith Organization Task Force Phase One Best Practice Recommendations The following Best Practice recommendations are meant to enhance public health and safety in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the first phase of a CDC three-phase reopening plan.

CHECKLIST Recommended Steps for Safe Reopening

Continue with online worship services, preschool and children programs, Sunday school classes, team meetings and adult gatherings. Postpone ministry events, camps, retreats and missions. ☐

Consider taking a survey of congregants to gauge their comfort level for reopening. ☐

Look at all of the faith organization’s practices through the lens of safety. ☐

Deep clean and sanitize entire facility, including lobby, offices, meeting rooms and sanctuary with EPA-approved disinfectant. ☐

Train employees and volunteers on proper handwashing hygiene, PPE usage, social distancing and other protective measures. ☐

Create protocol for anyone entering the faith organization’s campus and buildings. Requirements may include wearing a mask and having no symptoms of any communicable virus. Post protocol online, at entrance to buildings and anywhere else deemed appropriate. ☐

Communicate to congregants the protective measures the faith organization is taking to safeguard their health and inform them of the protocols that have been established for anyone visiting the campus, including mask use, social distancing, hand sanitizing, coughing and sneezing into a tissue, etc. ☐

Develop protocol for communion (if applicable) and collecting offerings. Consider using Venmo or another electronic means to collect offerings to avoid cash transactions. ☐

Remove hymnals, bibles and other shared items. ☐

Create a program or means of participation for vulnerable members of the congregation, possibly through Zoom conferencing. Develop programs that can be held outdoors. ☐ ☐

Discontinue group meals. ☐

Recommended Congregant Safety Limit groups to no more than 10. Discontinue handshaking or any greeting that involves physical contact. ☐ ☐

Remind congregants at the beginning of service or meetings to practice social distancing unless seated with member(s) of their own household. ☐

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Communicate with employees and volunteers regularly regarding their health status and the health of anyone with whom they may be in close contact. Send home any staff member or volunteer who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or in contact with someone with the disease. Request that staff members and volunteers notify management if they have traveled to a CDC-designated “hot spot.” ☐

Advise employees and volunteers to stay home if they are feeling ill or have any symptoms of a communicable virus. ☐

Provide employees and volunteers with PPE as needed. Provide readily available hand sanitizer. ☐ ☐

Encourage employees and volunteers to wash their hands often. ☐

Recommended Protective Measures for Facility Schedule more frequent sanitization of restrooms and indoor venues, focusing on high-use touch points, including light switches, tables, chairs, counters and pews. Use EPA-approved disinfectants. ☐

Provide hand sanitizer in meeting rooms, lobby, at entrance to sanctuary and other relevant venues. ☐

Space seating in lobby, meeting rooms, etc. to meet social distancing requirements. ☐

Post signs in relevant areas reminding visitors to practice social distancing and encouraging them to use the provided hand sanitizers. If possible, increase air flow. Change air filters regularly and consider using high-efficiency HVAC filters. ☐ ☐

Where available, designate one door for ingress and another for egress. ☐

Other Recommendations Post on building door and website the Safety First seal developed by the Chamber of Commerce certifying the faith organization is following all recommended protective measures to safeguard public health. ☐

Develop protocol for dealing with an employee or congregant who contracts COVID-19. Maintain phase one restrictive measures until the rates of infection and death decrease for two weeks running. ☐ ☐

Note: All faith organizations must adhere to any new requirements and restrictions mandated by state and local governments, as well as the CDC, SCDHEC and OSHA.

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