RBC Family,
We have recently experienced multiple positive COVID cases within our congregation that may have led to inadvertent exposure to members who attended worship service on November 22nd and participated in decorating the sanctuary after. We are making our best efforts through contact tracing to identify those who were likely exposed and to contact them directly.
Included below are the CDC criteria for determining exposure as well as information on how to respond if you have been exposed or think you may have been exposed.
At this time, given the level of exposure to church members, we feel that the wisest course of action for the church is to postpone in person worship gatherings and in person Sunday School until at least December 13th. We are canceling our Sunday evening events including our missions speaker to kick off Week of Prayer for International Missions on Nov. 29th, the Christmas Celebration on December 6th, and the Living Nativity on December 13th.
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Sunday morning worship services will be broadcast via Facebook and our website on November 29th and December 6th.
- Adult Sunday School will meet via Zoom and be led by Carol Causey.
- Information about Children’s and Youth Sunday School will be communicated via Claudia and Chase.
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The remaining Wednesday evening sessions for 2020 will be canceled with a tentative restart date of January 13th.
- All staff will work remotely and be available via phone or email during regular office hours.
In the coming days, the staff, along with the Executive Committee and other church leadership, will make a decision on when to resume in person gatherings as well as any necessary considerations for our Christmas Eve service.
We are disappointed that we are not able to celebrate this Advent season in the ways that we have traditionally enjoyed. However, the hope and joy we have and celebrate at Advent is in no way diminished by the current circumstances we face.
RBC Staff and Executive Committee
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What counts as exposure?
- You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more
- You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
- You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)
- You shared eating or drinking utensils
- They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you
Steps to take: Stay home and monitor your health
- Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19
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Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19
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If possible, stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19
If you have been exposed, it is recommended that you quarantine for 14 days from Because you have been exposed, it is recommended that you quarantine for 14 days from exposure. Quarantine means you should not have contact with any other people except to attend medical appointments.
Your quarantine is crucial to protect others because it is possible to infect others even before you develop symptoms yourself.
If symptoms develop during your quarantine period, it will be important to get a COVID19 test to determine if you are positive. However, a negative test during this 14-day period does not shorten the quarantine timeframe since it can take the full 14 days for symptoms to develop or for the virus to be detected by a test.
During your quarantine, you should:
- speak with your medical provider if you have questions or concerns about potential symptoms. If you experience a medical emergency, call 911;
- take temperature checks throughout each day and be aware of the following symptoms: unexplained chills, fever, cough, nausea, body aches, sore throat, loss of taste, diarrhea, or headache. If you experience any of these, please inform your medical provider. If at any time you experience bluish lips or face, new confusion, trouble breathing or persistent pain in the chest, seek emergency assistance immediately; and:
While quarantined in your designated location, it is acceptable to do the following:
- go outside wearing personal protection equipment for exercise as long as you maintain a 12- to 15-foot distance away from anyone else, and
- run errands such as medical appointments or to pick up food in a drive-through, provided you do so alone.
To protect others, please make sure no one visits your quarantine area, remain diligent in washing your hands, clean and sanitize surfaces regularly, change or clean your toothbrushes often, and practice good hygiene.
The safest way to quarantine and avoid spreading the virus to others is to do so in a bedroom with a private bath. If you have to share a bathroom, it is important to sanitize the bathroom each time you use it; research has not determined how long the virus remains on surfaces, so it is best to be cautious. You should arrange for someone to bring food to your apartment or home. When the food is delivered, ask the individual to deliver the food to your door, knock, announce themselves and leave before you retrieve your food.
