COVID-19 UPDATE
July 31, 2021
The best way to safely end this pandemic is to get vaccinated
ALERT:
The COVID-19 Pandemic is resurging in SW Florida
- In the past month COVID-19 cases in Lee County have increased from about 8 to more than 54 daily cases per 100,000
- Local testing positivity rates have increased from less than 5% to greater than 19% (showing insufficient testing)
- The CDC says that the more contagious and more virulent Delta variant is responsible for more than 83% of COVID-19 cases.
- Locally, the number of people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 is steeply increasing (from 33 to 238 in one month)
- The CDC recommends in areas of high spread (where we are), vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors.
Considering these changing conditions, the COVID-19 Task Force recommends the following immediate changes:
- Masks be required by all attendees 2 years and older to TBE events inside the TBE building
- Indoor food service during events be suspended (Oneg may be served on the patio)
- Encourage physical distancing between households at all TBE events
We will monitor the changing conditions closely and review for changes on a weekly basis.
We remind congregants to participate from home if they are not feeling well (or have been exposed to COVID if unvaccinated)
Lee County COVID-19 Trend Metrics as of July 31, 2021
Florida ceased daily reporting of COVID-19 statistics in June, so we shifted to using the more limited CDC county level reports for ongoing local monitoring of the Pandemic. The past month shows a trend of increasing risk:
COVID-19 Response Phased Re-opening Plan
There are 4 phases through which our building and grounds can be open or closed to congregants and staff with a goal of a 5th phase when the pandemic ends and we apply lessons learned for a healthier TBE community post pandemic.
- Based on guidance from CDC, the WHO, and national epidemiologic experts we will move through the phases based on specific health metrics:
- Rolling 7-day average of COVID-19 test positivity rates for Lee County
- Rolling 7-day new daily cases per 100,000 population (Incidence)
- Rolling 7-day average COVID-19 transmission rate
- 2-week trend of Lee Health Hospital resource capacity (ability of local hospitals to accommodate the significantly ill)
- Movement to higher phase requires at least 2 weeks of meeting the criteria for the phase.
- Movement to a lower phase will occur when pandemic monitoring criteria worsens; 2 weeks of data NOT required to respond in nimble manner
- When discrepancies between measures exist, we will use the preponderance of data to determine the appropriate phase.
- Each phase has specific activity descriptions for Worship, Life Cycle Events, Staff/Clergy and congregants, Meetings & Events, Adult Education and Religious school activities.
- Please review the full plan for the specific details by each Phase.
