COVID POLICY AS OF APRIL 13, 2022:

Here are our current AHB COVID policies and understanding, given the ever changing status of the virus. These are subject to change based on national, state, or local rules and regulations, as well as AHB Board decisions:
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• We will require proof of full vaccination for all attendees [a complete round of vaccine + booster(s)], which can be in the form of a physical vaccine card or through an official phone app (e.g., NJ uses Docket, NY uses Excelsior).   
  
  
• Masks will be optional during the event, barring a mask mandate enforced by the state of Delaware or the city of Wilmington. We will have a supply of spare masks at the rally.   
  
  
• We recommend that you get a PCR or Antigen test 24-48 hours in advance and receive a negative outcome.
  
  
• We will require completing a health screening questionnaire and Covid liability waiver prior to the rally weekend.
  
  
• We ask that you minimize your participation in higher potential Covid-risk activities the week before you travel.
  
  
• You acknowledge that attendees share the potential risks involved in a large, close-quarters gathering of folks singing together without masks. As anecdotal evidence, the UK Harmony Brigade held a rally during the height of the omicron spike. Although all attendees were fully vaxxed and reported negative self-test results upon arrival and throughout the weekend, approximately 36/79 (~45%) of attendees tested positive during the week after the Brigade. The good news is that the positively-testing attendees only reported experiencing mild to medium symptoms lasting several days. Only one case led to a brief stay in the hospital for temporary observation (as opposed to ventilation) before being released.
  

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August 30, 2021....Cancellation of the 2021 AHB Rally...details below...

Dear Atlantic Harmony Brigagers,

With great disappointment, we must cancel the 2021 AHB Rally (Nov 5-7, 2021). 

AHB leadership has been carefully following the uptick in COVID infections primarily due to the Delta variant. 

A detailed view of CDC projections suggests that the level of community transmission may not be in the moderate or low zone across North America soon enough to help ensure AHB Rally participants’ safety. In addition, we reviewed available modeling using 100+ attendees here. https://covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu 

We considered nine issues while making our final decision:

• It is important to recognize that AHB has registrants from 22 States and two countries. We must view AHB as the international event it is.
• With community spread increasing, the risk of holding fun, traditional run-throughs with brigaders from multiple jurisdictions may be higher than before.
• The contagious nature of the Delta variant has resulted in breakthrough infections. Fortunately, the vaccines are protective in reducing the severity of illness, hospitalizations, and deaths.
• The efficacy of vaccines in preventing illness is diminishing. This is an ordinary course of events for vaccines. That is why boosters exist. A significant fraction of our AHB demographic is older than 65. Many likely got their vaccines in the first quarter of this year. With the current policies, this population may not receive boosters in time for the Rally, which further elevates their risk.
• While other measures, including protocols on vaccinations, negative tests, and mask-wearing, could reduce risks, from our earlier survey, we know it would be a non-starter for most attendees to sing with masks on for 36+ hours.
• While we could try to minimize interaction with staff, hotel guests, and the traveling public, exposure to a significant number of people traveling by air is almost inevitable.
• The longer we delay deciding our final status, the more expensive airfares could become for some of our participants who have been holding off purchasing tickets.
• The Crown Plaza has been very cooperative throughout these discussions thus far. Because of the current CDC recommendations and the State of Delaware requirements requiring all attendees to wear masks while on the property, the Crowne Plaza has agreed to waive any cancelation penalties by canceling now. Suffice it to say that this is a significant amount of money.
• We have signed contracts with the Crowne Plaza for August 12-14, 2022, so we expect our great relationship to continue.

Unless requested, all funds paid to AHB toward the 2021 Rally will be credited to your account for the 2022 Rally. Should you prefer a refund, send an email to Ron Cinnella, treasurer@atlanticharmonybrigade.com. Funds - minus the nonrefundable $40 charge for 20/21 music - will be returned to you.

For those looking ahead, AHB has already purchased seven pieces of music originally intended for 2022. We will decide when to incorporate these songs in an AHB Rally once we have input from other Brigades’ Music Teams (with whom we collaborate). 
On behalf of the AHB Board, we wish we had a different outcome for 2021. That said, we look forward to ringing chords with you in Wilmington in 2022. 

Yours in Harmony,
Doug Brown
AHB President