Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, president of the House of Deputies, have announced additional measures designed to reduce the risk of Covid-19 spread at July’s general convention.
The new measures will require all attendees to wear N95 or similar masks in all public areas, as well as to self-administer rapid Covid tests every day of the shortened four-day convention, July 8 to 11.
In a letter released on May 26, Curry and Jennings stated:
In addition to the existing vaccine requirement for General Convention, the design group has recommended to us that attendees at General Convention be required to:
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- Wear N95, KN95, KF94 or medical procedure masks at all times indoors, in the convention center, and common areas of hotels. Exceptions will be made for people speaking in legislative session at a microphone with appropriate social distance so that listeners with hearing impairments will be able to lip read. Masks will be made available to those who need them.
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- Self-administer rapid tests for COVID-19 before leaving home to travel to Baltimore; upon checking in to hotel rooms at General Convention; and each morning of the four-day convention. General Convention attendees will be provided with five tests when they pick up their badges; one to use upon checking into their hotel rooms, and the others to use each morning.
The final plan for the convention will be submitted on June 7 to the Joint Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements and Executive Council.
In the letter, Curry and Jennings expressed gratitude to the convention planning team: “We are grateful to everyone who is working to make this General Convention safer and to everyone who is bearing with the disruption in travel plans and summer schedules with grace and forbearance” the two wrote. “As COVID-19 rates continue to increase both in Baltimore and across the United States, please keep praying for all those who are sick and those who have died.”