Updated August 4, 2020; Updated November 11, 2020

COVID-19 RESPONSE:

Dear Current and Future Atlanta Irish Dance Families,

At Atlanta Irish Dance, we take the health of our dancers, instructors, and the community at-large very seriously. This includes both physical and mental health. We have seen both first hand and through the various news outlets what failure to take proper precautions against Covid-19 can do to a community. We are also aware of the emotional effects our new normal is causing. Because of this, we find that we are in a unique position to offer a safe haven for our dancers. We understand the responsibly that has been placed in our hands.

Using guidance from the World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control, CLRG (The Irish Dance Governing Body), and relevant Governmental authorities, we have put in place our Covid-19 response for Fall 2020 Classes. (Our 2020 Summer Camp COVID Response can be found HERE).

We will continue to update these policies based on new recommendations and we will note any updates. Please read below for our policies & helpful videos. Stay safe & we will see you the week of August 10th for our Fall session!

Go raibh maith agaibh! Thank you!

Ms. Emma & Ms. Erin

Co-Founders, Atlanta Irish Dance

Atlanta Irish Dance Official COVID-19 Response:

In-Class Safety Strategy:

Arrival Time -  We ask that you arrive for your class at the time of class and no earlier. Please wait in your car or outside (6 feet apart) until the teacher invites you inside.  Parents, caretakers and siblings may not congregate outside the studio during class hours.

Screening Dancers - All dancers and staff will have their temperature taken before entering the studio. Anyone exhibiting a temperature greater than 99.7ºF, cough, shortness of breath, or any other respiratory symptoms shall not be permitted to enter.

Face Masks - Dancers will be required to wear face masks while at the studio when not doing strenuous exercises (24 bars of music or less). Teachers will wear face coverings at class. On June 16, 2020, the World Health Organization issued a statement waring against the use of masks during exercise (See graphic), and the CLRG made similar recommendations. Atlanta Irish Dance will be following these guidelines, so that for any dancing over 24 bars in length, we will allow the dancers to remove their masks. However if you wish for your dancer to wear their face mask for longer periods, simply let us know!

1. Please provide a small bag for your dancer to place his or her mask in when we take mask breaks- this will prevent them from being placed on the floor or amongst their personal belongings.

2. Any masks that cover the nose & mouth are acceptable, but we have found that the single use disposable masks provide the most comfort and breathability. Why is that important? More comfort = less touching the mask.

3. Students are not required to remove their masks during mask breaks.

4. Please, do not reuse disposable masks.

5. Our Ages 3-4 Little Tots dancers are not required to wear a mask into the studio, but may do so if you wish (this is due to our concern that little tots will touch their mask often).

Air Flow. We will simultaneously open the garage door and front doors to allow for increased airflow whenever we can. We know that there are great benefits from more ventilation.

Dancers will need to provide their own mask. We consulted with a pediatrician about children wearing face masks while exercising in reaching this decision. **Please see our note below about face mask safety and children. Click HERE for a link to CDC's guide to masks and templates for DIY masks. Our Ages 3-4 Little Tots dancers are not required to wear a mask into the studio, but may do so if you wish (this is due to our concern that little tots will touch their mask often).

Limited Items and Guests - Please Arrive with dance shoes on and limit belongings to dance shoes and one large water bottle. Parents and siblings will not be permitted inside the building. Dancers will NOT be permitted to bring cell phones or other personal items inside-this includes our adult dancers. 

Hand Washing & Sanitizer- Dancers will be asked to wash their hands immediately upon arrival before entering the dance area. Hand sanitizer will be throughout the studio - outside bathrooms and near exits. Dancers will be required to wash hands before eating any snacks.

"Zone" Teaching - The studio floor will be marked to spread out our students while they dance. All dancers will be required to stay within their 6ft x 8ft "zone"  unless directed to move about the studio, or using the bathroom. If a dancers is asked to demonstrate a moving piece, all other dancers will remain in their zones in order to maintain a safe distance between all. Students will not use cubbies for their belongings - and instead keep their few personal belonging in their "zone".

 Touchless Teaching, Greetings & Goodbyes - We will not be shaking hands or hugging at this time. Instructors will stand within their own "zone" and maintain at least 6' distance. Teachers will wear masks the entire time, teach “mirror facing” whenever possible, and will wear gloves if helping dancers open water bottles.

Drop Off and Pick Up: To expedite the change between classes and limit the number of people, Students will be Dropped off in the Front & picked up in the Rear of the building.  Pick up will be "Elementary School Carpool Style". CLICK HERE FOR CARPOOL SIGN - please write or Type your dancer's LAST name on the Sign

Mandatory Reporting & Positive COVID Protocols - In-studio families must inform the directors (info@burkeconnolly.com) if they suspect their child or a family member has COVID Symptoms or has been in contact with someone who has developed COVID.  If we are made aware of a positive case of a dancer or teacher that has been in class, the entire student body will be informed via email (the names of those affected will not be used) with any necessary next steps. The affected student/teacher and any siblings or family members of the affected dancer/teacher will be asked to quarantine based on the “Return to Studio Strategy” set forth below. We provided training to our instructors on identifying symptoms of Illness in dancers, the proper process of removing a potentially ill dancer, including isolation areas for potentially sick dancers, and will continue to train them on any updates to our procedures.

COVID Symptoms: Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. According to the CDC, symptoms may include: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea. Source here.

General Illness Protocols: If any dancer or teacher is feeling ill, we ask that you stay home and opt for a virtual class that day. Family members of any dancer or teacher who is feeling ill must also attend class virtually until the ill dancer recovers. If you suspect that your dancer may have contracted COVID, please have them tested.

Close Contact: The CDC Defines Close Contact as “Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.” CDC Testing Recommendations- Students and teachers who have a known close contact with confirmed or probable COVID-19 should be tested and quarantined as soon as possible to reduce the risk of further transmission. Source here.

Potential Contacts: The CDC Defines Potential Contact as “Students and teachers in the same class as the person with COVID-19 who always kept 6 feet distance between persons.” CDC Testing Recommendations- Testing may be considered for these individuals based on recommendations from their healthcare provider and assessment of exposure risk or a positive symptom screen from a reputable COVID-19 screener, such as CDC’s Coronavirus Self-Checker. Source here.

Return to Studio Strategy: As of October 19, 2020 the CDC issued its most recent “decision memo” about returning from isolation after a positive covid test. As of July 20, 2020 the CDC is no longer recommending a “Re-testing based Strategy,” except in severe cases (Summary of CDC Changes HERE). They are recommending a SYMPTOM-ONSET based strategy because “replication-competent virus has not been recovered after 10 days following symptom onset”, meaning that they are not seeing virus particles capable of infecting cells 10 days after onset of symptoms.

What is the SYMPTOM-ONSET based strategy?

Isolation and precautions can be generally discontinued:

For MILD to MODERATE CASES:

(1) 10 days after symptom onset; AND

(2) No fever for at least 24 hours, without use of fever reducing medicines; AND

(3) Improvement of other symptoms.

(4) If a person never developed symptoms, then date of first positive Covid test should be used.

FOR SEVERE CASES (Hospitalization or Immunocompromised Individuals): For patients with severe illness, duration of isolation for up to 20 days after symptom onset may be warranted. Consider consultation with infection control experts.

What does this symptom-onset based strategy mean for the Studio?

(1) We need affected families to be very clear on the days that the symptoms first appeared (not just a dancer’s testing date); AND

(2) We need to be very clear about improvement of symptoms, including no fever for at least 24 hours without use of fever reducing medicines.

Virtual Classes- Students who cannot attend class or who do not wish to attend class in person, can attend virtually via ZOOM. Dancers will log on and attend class as it occurs live. Instructors will interact with the student as if they are a member of the live class, having them dance along with the class and demonstrate movements as the instructor would at live class. We have tested this option with dancers of a variety of ages and are confident it will work very well with ages 5 & up. If dancers younger than 5 wish to use this resource, simply let us know: we are happy to accommodate that request!

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**Guidance from pediatrician Dr. Hill (board certified pediatrician, member of the AAP who works with Northside Hospital and CHOA. Special interests include preventative medicine and infectious disease) regarding children ages 5 & older wearing face masks while exercising and general tips: Yes- children can wear masks to exercise. They can wear them as long as necessary. Exceptions to this would be medical reasons that make it dangerous to wear the mask (asthma, etc.). Masks only need to be worn when exposed to people outside the family and still need to remain 6 feet away when masks are on.  Have children wash hands before putting their mask on and after taking it off. Always remove the mask from the ear loops. Masks should be placed in a bag and washed as soon as possible in the washing machine. If a child touches their mask while wearing it, have them wash their hands or use hand sanitizer.