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COVID-19: Health and Safety Guidelines

Updated April 2022. Guidelines are subject to change with ongoing pandemic conditions.
All images courtesy of cdc.gov.

We want ITF to be a fun and safe experience for all attendees, which starts with policies that prioritize protecting everyone’s health – including a vaccination requirement.

While Indiana University’s policies have influenced ours – and we must comply with certain protocols to have our event on campus – the following ITF health and safety policy is EdTA’s, not the university’s. This policy has been formed under guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and may be stricter than local government guidelines and/or Indiana University policy.

Please review the following policies and guidelines carefully before registering, as these policies are non-negotiable. An online experience is available to anyone uncomfortable with our protocols.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us return to in-person events safely. We know the ongoing pandemic and its rapidly changing conditions can lead to frustration and anxiety. As always, thank you for your support, patience, and understanding. We can’t wait to see you in Bloomington!

Table of Contents

Click the links below to jump to the corresponding section of this page.

Health & Safety Protocols
Proof of Vaccination
Face Mask Requirements
Cleaning & Disinfecting
Hygiene
Physical Distancing
Daily Wellness Checks
On-Site COVID-19 Testing and Reporting
Isolation & Quarantine
Questions

Health & Safety Protocols

In cooperation with Indiana Univeristy, EdTA and ITF are implementing the following health and safety protocols for ITF 2022, June 20-24, 2022:

  • Attendees, vendors, and staff must complete a pre-event attestation confirming compliance with all health and safety protocols.
  • All attendees must provide proof of up to date vaccination prior to arriving in Bloomington. EdTA is partnering with VaccineCheck to create a digital portal to upload required documentation. Registered attendees will receive an email invitation to this portal after May 11, 2022 and additional details will be available at that time. NOTE: Admittance to ITF will ONLY be allowed with vaccination documentation.
  • Touchless check-in will be implemented for registration, which limits contact for all attendees.
  • Masks are no longer required when indoors on the IU campus, including inside performance venues, classrooms, and event spaces, but may be worn at any time depending on the comfort level of the attendee.
  • While capacity in classrooms and event spaces will be set to pre-pandemic approved capacity, it is recommended to maintain physical distance from others whenever possible.
  • Hand sanitizing stations will be available in high-traffic areas around campus.
  • When possible, meals will either be plated or provided in individual grab-and-go containers rather than buffets.
  • If you are feeling unwell, please stay home. Email events@schooltheatre.org by June 20, 2022 to transfer your registration to ITF 2023.

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Proof of Vaccination

All attendees are required to be up to date with their vaccinations per the definition on the CDC's website as of May 11, 2022. Note: This does not mean attendees must be up to date on vaccination by May 11; rather, it means that if the CDC changes its guidelines after May 11, attendees do not have to adhere to the new CDC guidelines. ITF will go by the pre-May 12 up-to-date definition as the attendee requirement.  

Attendees will be required to provide proof of vaccination via VaccineCheck between May 11 – June 10, prior to arrival on campus. An upload link will be provided via VaccineCheck after May 11 for submission of required documentation.

To locate a vaccination location near you, visit https://www.vaccines.gov/. 

ITF can only make exemptions for certain medical conditions. View the exemption policy. We understand Indiana University may grant other exemptions as required by Indiana law for students, faculty, and staff of a public state-funded university. As a private organization, we do not operate under the same statutes as the university and may act as best serves the interest of our members and attendees.

As an international organization, we must balance honoring the various practices and policies of different populations of our members with prioritizing the health and safety of all attendees. While we always strive to be the most inclusive, the circumstances of the ongoing pandemic have rendered this difficult. Under the advisement of health professionals up to and including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we have made the decision that most broadly protects the widest possible number of attendees at the festival, including our student and adult members, their guests, our sponsors and exhibitors, and the EdTA staff.  

We sincerely regret if this decision renders you or your students from being able to attend the festival in person. We encourage you to explore the online experience option for ITF 2022. 


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Face Mask Guidelines

Masking is now optional on the Indiana University campus, including the theatres, as well as within the Bloomington community. As such, attendees will not be required to wear masks during ITF; however, participants are encouraged to mask as suits their comfort level. EdTA will continue to monitor local conditions and, if warranted, will make changes to the festival policy based on local data.

Recommended Types of Masks

IU recommends masks that conform to the CDC guidelines and:

An illustration showing double-layered mask selection.
 Have two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric
An illustration showing a mask covering a person's mouth and nose.
 Fully cover your mouth and nose and have ties or ear loops to prevent slipping
An illustration showing a snug-fitting mask.
 Fit snugly against the sides of your face with no gaps
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 Have a nose wire to prevent air from leaking out of the top of the mask, which also helps to prevent fogging for those who wear glasses
 

Examples of masks that are not acceptable include (but are not limited to) masks that:

An illustration of a person wearing a mask made out of material that makes it hard to breathe.
 Are made of fabric that makes it hard to breathe (e.g., vinyl)
An illustration of a person wearing a mask with an air vent that allows particles to escape (not acceptable)
 Have exhalation valves or vents which allow virus particles to escape
An illustration of a person wearing a gaiter (not acceptable).
 Are gaiters, scarves, bandanas, t-shirts, or other unapproved face coverings


Mask Care & Usage

To safely put on your mask:

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 Wash or sanitize your hands.
An illustration of a person holding their mask by the ear loops.
 Touch only the ear loops and place them over your ears. Do not touch your face covering except to adjust it to your nose and face.
An illustration showing a person wearing a mask over their nose and under their chin.
 Ensure your face covering fits over your nose and under your chin. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth when putting on your mask.
An illustration showing a person washing hands with soap.
 Wash or sanitize your hands.
 

How not to wear your mask:


An illustration showing various inappropriate ways to wear your mask.


To safely remove your mask:

An illustration showing a person washing hands with soap.
 Wash or sanitize your hands.
An illustration of a person removing their mask by stretching the ear loops.
 Carefully untie the strings behind your head or stretch the ear loops and remove the mask from your ears. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth when taking off your mask. 
An illustration showing a mask being folded by the outside corners.
 Fold the outside corners together.
An illustration showing a mask being stored in a paper bag.
 You can store your mask temporarily to reuse later. Keep it in a dry, breathable bag (like a paper or mesh fabric bag) to keep it clean between uses. When reusing your mask, keep the same side facing out.
An illustration showing a person washing hands with soap.
 Wash or sanitize your hands.


Caring for your mask:

  • We recommend bringing multiple masks to wear throughout the week and to launder masks that need to be reused. Use the warmest water temperature permissible and laundry detergent and allow them to dry completely before reuse. It isn't necessary to bleach masks. 
  • Disposable masks may be reused up to ten days if they don't get wet, soiled, damaged, or misshapen, and may be placed in the garbage when disposed. 
  • Inspect masks. Before reusing a mask, inspect it for damage. If it is damaged or misshapen, replace it or repair it before reuse. 
  • Visit the CDC website for detailed information on the use of cloth masks. 

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Cleaning & Disinfecting

Facilities and cleaning teams will be out in force working to clean common areas and frequently touched surfaces throughout the day using disinfectants approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. IU's cleaning procedures and guidelines are in line with the current recommendations and have been reviewed and approved by the university's Environmental Health and Safety experts. IU will provide hand sanitizer inside building entrances and in other high-traffic areas on campus.

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Hygiene

It is recommended that all attendees practice the following hygienic guidelines during ITF.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If water is not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Practice physical distancing.
  • Wear a mask when indoors.
  • Avoid contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay at home while sick and avoid close contact with others.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and immediately dispose of the used tissue.

When to Wash Your Hands

Key times to wash your hands (or use hand sanitizer if you don't have access to soap and water) include:

  • Before, during, and after preparing food.
  • Before eating food.
  • Before and after treating a wound.
  • Before and after removing gloves or other personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • After using the toilet
  • After contact with frequently touched surfaces (e.g., elevators, lobby areas, reception desks).
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • After touching an animal or animal waste.
  • After touching garbage.

The CDC provides detailed information on when and how to wash your hands, and on hand hygiene in healthcare settings. 

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Physical Distancing

An illustration showing friends staying 6 feet apart.
While classrooms and event spaces have returned to pre-pandemic approved capacity, it is recommended to maintain physical distance whenever possible.

  • Stay at least six feet apart from others.
  • Eliminate contact with others (e.g., handshaking, hugging).
  • Avoid touching common surfaces (when possible) and wash hands frequently if it's not possible to avoid touching surfaces.
  • Take the stairs rather than an elevator when possible.

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Daily Wellness Checks

All attendees will be responsible for completing individual wellness checks prior to exiting their dorms each morning. Posters with the following evaluation questions will be placed near exits and entrances:

  • Do you have a fever (have you had a temperature above 100° F or feel feverish?
  • Have you vomited in the last 24 hours?
  • Do you have a cough or shortness of breath?
  • Do you have a sore throat?
  • Do you have a loss of taste or smell?
Any attendee who believes they may be experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should alert their troupe leader, floor captain, or EdTA staff immediately.

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On-Site COVID-19 Testing and Reporting

Any attendee who believes they may be experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should alert their troupe leader, floor captain, or EdTA staff immediately.  Should testing be recommended, visit IN.gov COVID testing and select Monroe in the test sites by county drop-down menu to find locations closest to IU Bloomington. You can also find at-home test kits at many retail pharmacies.

If you test positive, report your positive test to the ITF nursing staff using the COVID-19 self-report form. In the event of a positive test result, attendees will quarantine as outlined in IU's Isolation and Quarantine policy.

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Isolation & Quarantine

While all ITF attendees must be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, it’s impossible to eliminate all risk of the virus being contracted. ITF will take the following measures to limit spread during the event and keep attendees as safe as possible. 

If you experience any symptoms of COVID-19 during ITF, alert your adult chaperone (students) or EdTA staff (adults) immediately, then contact ITF nursing staff to determine if testing is needed. Rapid testing will be administered on site as necessary. 

Attendees must quarantine while awaiting test results.  

Attendees who test positive will need to isolate per CDC guidelines. No refunds will be issued. In the event an attendee must continue isolating after ITF ends or requires special accommodations, any associated housing or meal expenses are the responsibility of the attendee.  

  • Attendees staying on campus will be moved to a dorm room with a private bedroom and bathroom to isolate until they can safely return to their permanent residence. Students will be released to a parent or legal guardian.  
  • Attendees staying in a hotel will be given instructions and tips for quarantining or isolating in their hotel room until they can safely return to their permanent residence. Students will be released to a parent or legal guardian.  

Attendees who come in close contact with someone who tests positive (roommate, troupe member, etc.) but do not experience symptoms do not need to quarantine, but must wear a mask and should get tested for COVID-19 five to seven days after exposure.

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Questions?

We are here to help! Contact us at events@schooltheatre.org for more information. Please do not contact Indiana University regarding ITF COVID-19 policies. The policies for this private event vary from the policies IU has in place for their students, faculty, and staff.

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