COVID-19 POLICY

Last Updated: May 10, 2021

We are so excited to start back with your family at Merrimack Hall!  We have all watched and waited patiently for safe time to return, and we are glad it is here.

We have limited our class sizes for everyone’s safety.  We are thankful you are choosing to be a part of our Merrimack family and we hope your loved one finds a strong sense of community within our classes.  We have an incredibly committed, dedicated and talented team of teachers and staff members that will do everything we can to make sure this experience is as positive, fun and engaging as possible for our participants!

While returning to in-person is bringing some changes to our organization’s policies, we are committed to providing you the safest and best classes possible for your participant!

We are depending on all of our families to help us monitor each participant and family member that comes into our building.  By following the below guidelines, we are hoping to minimize the risk of illness to our participants, volunteers, staff members and family members!  Thank you in advance for your support and assistance!

 

• ARRIVAL/PARTICIPANT DROP OFF:  All participants should enter through designated entrance for programs.
  • Happy Days will enter through the loading dock in the rear of the building.
  • PLEASE do not arrive more than 5 minutes before your participant’s first class of the day.  We will have a sanitation station set up where participants will use hand sanitizer and we will check temperatures upon arrival.  If a participant has a temperature of 99 or higher per the CDC guidelines, arrangements will be made for that participant to go home.

• DROP OFF SPECIFICS:  Please use the appropriate entrance for participant drop-off for your participant’s registered activity.
• LOBBY AREA:  To minimize the amount of people in our building, our lobby will be closed. If you need assistance, please call the front office at 256-534-6455.

• PICK UP:
  • Happy Days pickup will occur in the rear loading dock of the building.
  • PLEASE ONLY park in parking spaces in our real parking lot and for the safety of our participants, please do not drop off on Triana Boulevard.  Please enter the parking lot behind the building from CEDAR Lane and exit through the main parking lot onto TRIANA Blvd.
• SOCIAL DISTANCING: If you do walk your participant into class, please maintain social distancing at all times while in our building. 
• MASKS:  Masks/face coverings are required per city and state ordinances in our building at all times for all participants over the age of 3.  
• WATER BOTTLES:  Please make sure your participant brings a water bottle to class with him/her.  Our water fountain is not being used at this time.
• FOOD/SNACKS:  Merrimack Hall will provide snacks for participants in attendance for prolonged periods. Participants/Families are responsible for bringing their own “lunch” in a container for their participant’s consumption.

 

We will be also taking the following steps to help keep our Merrimack Hall as safe as possible.

EMPLOYEES/ASSISTANTS 

All employees and assistants will wear face coverings throughout dance classes. 

CLEANING MERRIMACK HALL  

Merrimack Hall and restrooms/dressing room areas will be cleaned routinely with disinfectants. Hand sanitizing stations will be located throughout the building for participants to use before and after class.  Please remind your participant to NOT touch their face, wear a mask, and wash hands/sanitize hands often. 

• COVID-19 TESTING AND NOTIFICATION:  If your participant or someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19, you must notify the front office (256-534-6455) as soon as possible. 

• STAYING HOME IF SICK OR EXPOSED:   If your participant is sick, has a temperature of 100.4 F or above, or has any symptoms of COVID-19, keep them home from dance and notify the front office (256-534-6455).  If your participant or a family member of the participant within the household or a close contact of the participant has been exposed to COVID-19, please contact the office and do not come to Merrimack Hall.

 

The following will help define a close contact:  

• You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes. 
• You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19. 
• You had direct physical contact with the person (touched, hugged, or kissed them) 
• You shared eating or drinking utensils.
• They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you. 

 

CASES WITHIN MERRIMACK HALL 

If there is a participant who has tested positive for COVID-19, the front office staff will notify all parents/guardians of the participants who have been exposed to the infected individual. 

WHEN YOUR PARTICIPANT SHOULD NOT COME TO MERRIMACK HALL:  

Your participant should stay home if they have symptoms of COVID-19, have been tested for COVID-19 (while waiting for results), or have been exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19.  Please notify the office immediately.

IF YOUR PARTICIPANT TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 OR A DOCTOR HAS SAID THEY LIKELY HAVE COVID-19:

If your participant has symptoms, they should stay at home and away from others as much as possible.  The CDC says they should wait until all of the following 3 things have happened before being around others-

1. At least 10 days have passed since their symptoms started.
2. They haven’t had a fever (100.4°F or greater) in at least 24 hours without using any medication to lower fever
3. The symptoms improve. 

 

IF A PARTICIPANT TESTS POSITIVE BUT DOES NOT SHOW SYMPTOMS:

Participants should stay home and not come to the Merrimack Hall 10 days after the day they were tested and keep away from other people as much as possible. 

IF A PARTICIPANT IS SICK BUT DOES NOT GET TESTED FOR COVID-19:

Participants should stay home and not come back to the Merrimack Hall until they are feeling better.  The CDC says they would wait until all of the following 3 things have happened before being around others-

1.  At least 10 days have passed since their symptoms started.
2. They have not had a fever (100.4°F or greater) in at least 24 hours without using any medication to lower fever.
3. The symptoms improve.

 

IF A PARTICIPANT IS SICK BUT TESTS NEGATIVE FOR COVID-19:

Participants should not come back to the Merrimack Hall until they are feeling better and have not had a fever for 24 hours without using any medication to reduce fever. 

VACCINATIONS

If your participant has been vaccinated and you are comfortable sharing this info, Merrimack Hall can keep a roster to share with other families of participants at Merrimack Hall. We encourage all families to consider available options to ensure the health and wellness of the entire community at Merrimack Hall.