Event Attendance Policy Update

Message from the SIM Board

The SIM Board is continuing to monitor developments regarding the Delta variant of Covid19 and met last week to discuss whether we should remain open for in-person attendance.  After careful review of the most recent information, we have decided that is it safe to maintain a hybrid program of in-person and Zoom attendance for now.  We want to share with you not only our decision, but also the thinking behind it.

• VACCINATION PROVIDES OUR GREATEST PROTECTION
  Vaccination continues to provide good protection from infection and serious illness due to Delta, and we strongly urge all members of our community to be vaccinated.  If anyone would like to be vaccinated but hasn’t been able to do so, we would be glad to help.  We want to send a clear message that anyone who is not fully vaccinated should NOT attend SIM events in person for their own safety and the safety of others.  Those who choose to remain unvaccinated are welcome to participate remotely on Zoom. We value the participation of all members of our sangha, whether remotely or in-person.

• MASKING, DISTANCING AND AIR FILTRATION PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
  To maximize safety, we will continue to require indoor masking, and will provide high quality KN95 masks at the door to anyone who would like one.  We will continue to arrange socially distanced seating and make maximal use of our two high-quality HEPA air filters.  All of this helps to further reduce risk so that we can safely practice together in accordance with county and CDC guidelines.
  
• PRACTICING TOGETHER PROVIDES IMPORTANT SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY
  We do not want the focus on minimizing risk to overshadow the benefits that we are striving to provide to our community, namely the opportunity for us to practice together.  After this long period of isolation and loneliness, coming together to practice as a sangha is an opportunity that we truly value. 

We understand that each of us, including our teachers, will need to evaluate the personal risks and benefits of in-person attendance and make individual decisions about how to attend SIM.  All of us on the Board want to support you in whatever you choose to do. 

We extend sincere thanks to the members of our audiovisual and set-up teams who have agreed to participate in making in-person attendance possible.  Over the next several weeks we will monitor attendance and decide in consultation with our volunteers whether the number of attendees justifies continuing the in-person component.  We will also continue careful monitoring of the latest scientific information regarding Covid and re-evaluate our plans accordingly.

With deep gratitude to all of you who have remained faithful supporters of our sangha,

Cathy Vigran, for the SIM Board