The official stance from 2600, as of a year ago or so, was that in-person 2600 meetings be suspended until further notice. That prompted us to go virtual and hybrid over the last year. An update was posted this week by the staff of 2600 Magazine that hints at a phased approach to a return of in-person 2600 Meetings.
You should go read the entire article, but some highlights follow:
We do ask that people not come to meetings if they haven't been vaccinated, as this will put both themselves and others at potential risk. We don't want anyone acting as enforcers for this policy; it's important that attendees act in a responsible and trusting manner. If, for whatever reason, you don't feel comfortable, please don't force yourself to stick around. Remember, this is new for all of us.[...]
Of course, virtual meetings will continue where desired until people feel completely safe congregating in groups. What we advise (and remember, this is only advice, not a mandate) is for attendees to continue wearing masks inside if you don't know for sure that everyone is vaccinated or if you're in a space where lots of strangers are passing by. If you're in an area where everyone is happy to say they're vaccinated and there are no strangers whose status is unknown in close proximity, then you're probably just fine not wearing a mask. Let's try and be a model to the rest of society and not make any of this a contentious issue.
While our region is doing alright this week, I don't feel like this is too much to ask. Starting in July, barring worsening conditions, we plan to ramp back up with official in-person gatherings at the Starbucks inside Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Oak Park Mall, beginning at 5pm on the first Friday of each month. Note that some folks show up closer to 6pm, and the informal nature of our meetings accommodate that.
Attendees should follow state, local, and establishment mask requirements as they exist at the time of arrival. Barnes & Noble was still requiring a mask last time I visited the store, despite state requirements having been lifted, but that may change by July 2nd, 2021. If you show up, we will assume that you are free of symptoms and vaccinated, or that there is a medical reason that you cannot be vaccinated, and have not been in the past 2 weeks knowingly exposed to COVID-19, nor participated in any high-risk activity without having been tested no more than 24 hours prior to attendance. We see no reason to require proof of vaccination or testing, but ask that you attend virtually if either you are concerned about the risk of in-person gatherings, you have participated in high-risk activity, or you have any symptoms -- even if they may be caused by something else such as allergies, for everyone's safety and peace of mind.
For the foreseeable future, we will continue to have a virtual presence at our monthly meetings via the SecKC Discord Server, in the #2600 channel and in the #2600_Meatings voice/video chat. If no one is on the voice channel during the scheduled meeting time, send out a ping in #2600 and we should be able to open it up. We're all in this together and we look forward to hearing from you regardless of how you choose to meet with us.
