Ignition Northwest’s Critical Northwest Covid Policy

This Covid policy is also located on the Critical Northwest site, linked under Things to Do from the main Ignition Northwest Homepage. But here it is again, to make it easy to find.

 

First, here is the policy:

COVID-19 Safety Policy for Critical Northwest 2023

(last updated 22 May 2023)

To attend Critical Northwest, all participants ages 6 and older must provide proof of having received the up-to-date vaccinations recommended by the CDC:

• Everyone aged 6 years and older should get 1 updated (bivalent) Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to be up to date.
• People aged 65 years and older may get a 2nd dose of updated (bivalent) Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Additionally, all participants ages 6 and older must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 8 hours prior to arrival at Gate.

Before the event, we ask and recommend that you:

• Avoid crowded public spaces in the week leading up to the event.
• Wear a close-fitting mask when indoors with others outside the home or in crowded public spaces in the week leading up to the event.
• If you had COVID-19 in the days and week prior to the event, please adhere to the guidelines outlined here (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html) to determine when it is safe to attend.
• If you test positive for COVID-19 the week before coming to the event and are unable to transfer your ticket, the INW Board will roll over your ticket to the 2024 event if you do the following prior to 11:59pm on Wednesday July 12: Send an email to covid@ignitonnw.orgwith a photo of your positive COVID-19 test. Write your name and the date taken on the test.

During the event, we ask and recommend that you:

• Consider wearing a close-fitting mask when in confined or close spaces.
• Respect the wishes of others with regard to infection safety. For example, camps may post signs asking that unvaccinated people avoid entering their spaces or that all guests wear a mask.
• If you are at enhanced risk of complications of COVID-19, practice extra social distancing and entirely avoid confined spaces outside your camp.
• Extend your consent practices to open communication with others about infection safety. Don’t assume everyone else has the same tolerance of risk.

Should you become ill with COVID-19 during the event, please notify a ranger, medical tent staff, or anyone with a laminate and a radio. We will make efforts to help you get packed up and recover at home.

Thank you in advance for your efforts to help us make Critical Northwest as safe and inclusive as possible.

Vaccine exemptions may be made on a case-by-case basis on medical or religious grounds if supported by sufficient documentation from a physician or recognized clergy. To request an exemption, email board@ignitionnw.org. Requested documentation must be supplied by June 7, 2023.

 

And a statement from the board about this year’s Critical Northwest Covid Safety Policy:

 

The INW board and Critical Northwest producers care deeply about this community and our greatest desire is to make this event as inclusive and safe as possible. We’ve taken many things into consideration when honing in on a COVID policy for this year‘s event, including the safety of compromised immunity community members.

 

One of the proposals we reviewed at length, was to require and provide rapid tests at entry. We took this consideration very seriously and explored all the ways this might impact our event.

 

Unfortunately, the cons outweighed the pros for this policy consideration. There’s a strong potential for traffic congestion, which could get the event shut down by the county sheriff.  The added significant expenses to our already tight budget would mean ticket prices would need to be raised, again.  The biggest expense as we see it for this added measure in a volunteer-run event, is the added risk and work for our staff, as we have to consider who will be monitoring and administering the testing and how to dispose of testing products.

 

With rapid testing only being statistically 55% accurate, it would give a false sense of safety.  COVID is likely to be in this event because there is no real way to keep it out of any space.  We feel our COVID plan is realistic, and will make this event as safe as we possibly can.