Meetings have had a range of responses to the more contagious Omicron variant. Some smaller meetings are continuing to meet in person with masks. Other meetings remain hybrid so Friends can worship as they feel most comfortable. Some mid-sized and larger meetings have reverted to all remote worship, but are doing this with a short timeline, sometimes for just a few weeks.
Some Friends who have been vaccinated and have gotten Omicron report feeling impacted by a long, severe, cold, with fever in some cases others reported few symptoms. Most meetings indicate they are making month-to-month decisions. They are watching transmission rates, degrees of illness, surveying their communities, and observing preventive measures.
Bianca Santini-Dumas, Concord Quarter Coordinator, reports…
Meetings continue to meet in person with masks. Some meetings have been discussing the requirement of showing proof of vaccination to attend Meeting for Worship in person. They are also implementing changes at meeting houses to maintain the hybrid worship.
One meeting reported that someone present in Meeting tested positive later in the day for Covid. This meeting is monitoring the community to track any possible chain of transmission.
The following meetings have shared this information with PYM staff, their community, or on social media
- Abington Meeting — The meetinghouse is closed through January.
- Green Street Meeting — Convening remotely through mid-January and will then reassess.
- Haverford Meeting — Remote through January.
- Lansdowne Meeting — Meeting remotely at present and will reassess.
- Lehigh Valley Meeting — Currently remote.
- Third Haven Meeting — Currently remote, but allowing people to walk the meeting campus with masks on.
- West Chester Meeting — Continuing with hybrid worship, including hybrid youth programs.
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