Brooklyn Youth Chorus strongly encourages choristers to be up to date with all vaccinations including COVID-19 for the safety of themselves and the greater Brooklyn Youth Chorus community. The latest COVID-19 vaccination guidelines can be found on the NYC COVID-19 vaccination page.

Brooklyn Youth Chorus respects and follows the policies of the venues and performance partners where rehearsals and events take place outside of our headquarters. Because of this, up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination may be REQUIRED to participate in some (non-self produced) performance and recording opportunities. For these projects, Brooklyn Youth Chorus staff will check and record vaccination dates for our records.

All singers should stay home if they are sick including showing any symptoms of COVID-19 or other illnesses and should get tested for COVID-19.

Brooklyn Youth Chorus no longer requires singers, staff, faculty, or visitors to wear masks during rehearsals or performances although wearing a mask is still strongly encouraged as a safety precaution.

At times of higher community transmission, masks may once again be required for rehearsals, performances, and events.

Brooklyn Youth Chorus respects and follows the policies of the venues where rehearsals and events take place outside of our headquarters. If and when masking is required for performances or events, we will communicate event-specific guidelines with families.

Hand sanitizer and masks will be available at all in-person rehearsal, lesson, and performance spaces. All rehearsal spaces have regular high-touch surface area cleaning and HEPA air purifiers.

Should your chorister be ill on a rehearsal day they should NOT attend rehearsal. COVID-19 symptoms include cough, chest tightness/discomfort, sore throat, body aches, malaise, loss of taste/smell, experiencing other unusual tastes (including "metallic" or blood-like"), nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, fainting, or a thermometer reading greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Staff and students should monitor daily for symptoms and should only attend rehearsals if they have no symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness.

Should your chorister be recovering from a mild cold or other illness where they are testing negative for COVID-19 and well enough to attend school and rehearsal, but are still experiencing symptoms, we ask your chorister to wear a mask during rehearsal/performance as an additional precaution to help prevent the spread of any and all illnesses.

If your Singer tests positive for COVID-19

If your chorister tests positive for COVID-19, please contact your program manager (for Pre-Prep, Prep, Pre-Teen I, Pre-Teen II and Teen Divisions) or chorus manager (Junior, Bass, and Concert Ensembles).

Regardless of symptoms. Isolate for 5 days. Starting at day 6 (from the day that symptoms first began if applicable or from the day chorister tests positive if asymptomatic) if chorister’s symptoms are resolving and chorister has been fever free for a minimum of 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing drug, chorister may take a rapid antigen test to see if they are eligible to return to rehearsals. If the test comes back negative, chorister may return to rehearsals. If the test comes back positive, chorister must continue isolating. Chorister may continue to take a rapid antigen test daily and may return to rehearsals when the test comes back negative.

Starting at day 6 (from the day symptoms first began if applicable or from the day chorister tests positive if asymptomatic), if chorister continues to have a fever, or other symptoms, continue to isolate. Chorister should wait until they have been fever free for a minimum of 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing drug. At that point, chorister can take a rapid antigen test daily until the chorister tests negative at which point they may return to rehearsals.

Should the chorister’s healthcare provider recommend a longer period of isolation than listed above, the healthcare provider’s recommendation supersedes the above timing of return.

If your Singer is knowingly exposed to somebody with COVID-19

For these purposes, exposure is defined when a person has been within six feet of an infected person for 15 cumulative minutes within a 24 hour period regardless of masking. Under these circumstances chorister may continue to attend rehearsals, but they should monitor closely for symptoms and should test on day 5 after exposure. If chorister develops symptoms they should test immediately and not return to rehearsals until symptoms subside and they receive a negative test. Within 10 days of exposure, Chorister may attend rehearsal as long as they are asymptomatic tests continue to come back negative. If at all possible choristers are asked to wear an N95 or KN95 mask at rehearsal.

If your Singer develops symptoms of COVID-19

Should your chorister be ill on a rehearsal day they should NOT attend rehearsal. Students should monitor for symptoms and should only attend rehearsals if they have no symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness. Choristers may return to rehearsals when their symptoms have resolved and they have a negative test.