December 23,2021
Dear Waldo County YMCA Members and Friends,
The surge in COVID cases after Thanksgiving reminded me that despite all the precautions we are taking, we need to do more, especially in light of the new variant that has shown up in Maine.
All staff are wearing masks when except when in their offices or when eating. We have been doing this since July 29 and are determined to keep our community safer.
We ask you to join us in this practice. Based on the advice we’ve received from local medical experts, wearing a properly fitted mask is one of the most effective ways to keep yourselves safe and to protect our community. We will be emphasizing this with new signs throughout our Y.
In addition to staff wearing masks, we are also doing the following:
Asking anyone who feels sick or has signs of COVID-19 to stay home
Maintaining 6’ distance between program participants whenever possible
Running HEPA filters in our high traffic areas – Weight Room, Wellness Room, Community Room, Teen Room, and Preschool
Maintaining excellent ventilation throughout the Y using filtered and outside air
Deep cleaning the facility daily
Starting January 1, we will also be enacting the following:
Emphasizing our “Prevent and Protect” policies through additional, more prominent signage
Adding another mask-required time from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Monday –Friday to go with our current time from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
This means that everyone in the Y must wear a mask during these times.
Reservations for the pool will be available from 11 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Renewing our commitment to enforce proper mask-wearing for all children in our programs.
Adding hand sanitizing stations in our locker rooms and bathrooms
Sanitizing high touch surfaces three times a day
Suspending national reciprocity and short term passes (starting December 27)
During Swim meets, we will limit spectators and require everyone in the facility to wear a mask
We will review these policies on February 1 and every two weeks after that, though we will be flexible about making amendments if the situation changes dramatically.
Thank you for joining us in protecting the health of our community by keeping our Y open.
With holiday wishes of hope,
Russell