History of How FSGW is responding to COVID-19 (coronavirus)

Last updated 1/3/2023.

FSGW policy regarding COVID-19 and participation at in-person events.

The goal is to keep all healthy and to enable all to feel safe. FSGW hopes that everyone will approach participating at in-person events from a “good neighbor” perspective. Each of us is essential to keeping the community healthy. Thank you!

1) FSGW sponsors two levels of in-person event. FSGW will indicate the COVID-19 Policy Tier in event publicity.

Tier 1: FSGW requires that participants be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination must be provided. FSGW encourages that participants at a Tier 1 event be pre-registered. Attendance limits will be enforced. Masking will be required where appropriate. (See the bottom of this page for what fully vaccinated means.)

Tier 2: Tier 2 events occur at shared venues, where there may be individuals at the venue who are not following the FSGW COVID-19 policy. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to follow the Tier 1 guidelines.

2) FSGW requires that if a participant is feeling sick, they will stay home. Or if a participant has been exposed to someone who's been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the previous 10 days, they will stay home.

3) FSGW requires participants who test positive for COVID-19 in the 10 days after an attended event to promptly contact the event organizer or the president of FSGW. 

4) FSGW will follow the directives issued by the Federal Government, the State of Maryland, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and jurisdictions within the states of Maryland and Virginia.

5) FSGW will follow the rules established by the venue. Events held in private residences are subject to the rules established by the event host.

FSGW reserves the right to alter this policy including canceling an event as necessary.

Participant: Any person registered for or at an event. This includes audience, dancers, singers, volunteers, performers and staff.

Fully Vaccinated: At least a full two weeks after the end of a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine. At least one booster is required. Photographs of Vaccination certificates are acceptable.

Symptoms of COVID-19: May include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, loss of smell or taste, muscle or body aches. The variant symptoms may also include headache, runny nose, or sore throat.

Adopted July 6, 2021

Amended August 3, 2021

Amended September 14, 2021

Amended March 1, 2022

Reaffirmed October 11, 2022

Amended January 3, 2023

Last updated 3/1/2022. Reaffirmed by the Board 10/11/2022.

FSGW policy regarding COVID-19 and participation at in-person events.

The goal is to keep all healthy and to enable all to feel safe. FSGW hopes that everyone will approach participating at in-person events from a “good neighbor” perspective. Each of us is essential to keeping the community healthy. Thank you!

1) FSGW sponsors two levels of in-person event. FSGW will indicate the COVID-19 Policy Tier in event publicity.

Tier 1: FSGW requires that participants be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination must be provided. FSGW requires that participants at a Tier 1 event be pre-registered. Attendance limits will be enforced. Masking will be required where appropriate.

Tier 2: Tier 2 events occur at shared venues, where there may be individuals at the venue who are not following the FSGW COVID-19 policy. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to follow the Tier 1 guidelines.

2) FSGW requires that if a participant is feeling sick, they will stay home. Or if a participant has been exposed to someone who's been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the previous 10 days, they will stay home.

3) FSGW requires participants who test positive for COVID-19 in the 10 days after an attended event to promptly contact the event organizer or the president of FSGW. 

4) FSGW will follow the directives issued by the Federal Government, the State of Maryland, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and jurisdictions within the states of Maryland and Virginia.

5) FSGW will follow the rules established by the venue. Events held in private residences are subject to the rules established by the event host.

6) In the event of a COVID-19 case being identified, FSGW will deliver the event registrant list to the appropriate authority for follow up.

FSGW reserves the right to alter this policy including canceling an event as necessary.

Participant: Any person registered for or at an event. This includes audience, dancers, singers, volunteers, performers and staff.

Fully Vaccinated: At least a full two weeks after the end of a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine including boosters if eligible.

Symptoms of COVID-19: may include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, loss of smell or taste, muscle or body aches. The variant symptoms may also include headache, runny nose, or sore throat.

Adopted July 6, 2021

Amended August 3, 2021

Amended August 3, 2021

Amended September 14, 2021

Amended March 1, 2022

Initial planning for resuming in-person events, 7/6/2021

FSGW policy regarding COVID-19 and participation at in-person events.

The goal is to keep all healthy and to enable all to feel safe. FSGW hopes that everyone will approach participating at in-person events from a “good neighbor” perspective. Each of us is essential to keeping the community healthy. Thank you!

1) FSGW requires that participants be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination must be provided. A participant may decline to share their vaccination status, but if so, they will not be allowed to attend the event in person.

2) FSGW requires that participants be registered. Attendance limits will be enforced. Preregistration is encouraged. Walk Up registrations will be accepted until the attendance limit is reached.

3) FSGW will keep a contact trace log via the registration. Name, email and a telephone number must be provided. FSGW will not keep copies of the proof of vaccination. FSGW may keep track of a participant’s vaccination status.

4) FSGW requires that if a participant is feeling sick, they will stay home. Or if a participant has been exposed to someone who's been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the previous 2 weeks, they will stay home.

5) FSGW requires participants who test positive for COVID-19 within two weeks after an attended event to promptly contact the event organizer or the president of FSGW.

6) FSGW will follow the directives issued by the Federal Government, the State of Maryland, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and jurisdictions within the states of Maryland and Virginia.

7) FSGW will follow the rules established by the venue. Events held in private residences are subject to the rules established by the event host.

8) In the event of a COVID-19 case being identified, FSGW will deliver the event contact trace log to the appropriate authority for follow up.

FSGW reserves the right to alter this policy including canceling an event as necessary.

Participant: Any person registered for or at an event. This includes audience, dancers, singers, volunteers, performers and staff.

Fully Vaccinated: A full 2 weeks after the end of a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Symptoms of COVID-19: may include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, loss of smell or taste, muscle or body aches. The Delta variant symptoms may also include headache, runny nose, or sore throat.

Our initial response, April 2020:

The Folklore Society of Greater Washington is concerned about the health and safety of our members, event attendees, performers and staff. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FSGW board has adopted the policy of canceling or postponing in-person events until some time after the local emergency orders restricting large gatherings have been rescinded.

Not all of our events are canceled, some are changing to an online format using conferencing and live streaming tools. Look for details in the calendar and in the FSGW E-blast. 

To support the performers for FSGW events that have been canceled or postponed, the FSGW Board has agreed to offer payment of contracted amounts to the performers.

We encourage our members to follow the orders and guidelines of government officials regarding social distancing and stay at home and avoid all non-essential trips. We will resume our in-person events when informed that it is safe to do so.

Meanwhile stay safe, we wish you good health, and check out storytelling, singing, and concerts on-line!

Charlie Pilzer
FSGW President