Suggestions from New England CoDA Alliance on Precautions for Meeting during Covid-19 Coronavirus P
Here are some suggestions gathered from NECoDA Alliance members:
Have a group conscience on how to communicate coronavirus precautions to meeting / group members.
Move to a safety first regime.
Check with your venue about their Opening/ Closing.
Recommend that those who are feeling unwell or have come into contact with the virus refrain from attending meetings until they feel they are no longer at risk of potentially transmitting the virus.
Arrange the chairs so that we sit at least 3-6 feet away from each other, following CDC recommendations.
Ask each person to grab his/her chair from the pile at the beginning of the meeting, and then put it back at the end.
Stop the practice of holding hands for our closing prayer and just stand in front of our chair as we recite our prayer.
Have the meeting facilitator read the Preamble, Welcome, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions, and no longer circulate the corresponding papers among meeting participants.
Ask participants to read from their own copies as found in the CoDA Blue Book, or here on the NECoDA website:
Minimize the need to distribute handouts (e.g. by choosing the serenity prayer or something that we don't need to read, during the opening and closing prayers)
Stop circulating the donation basket as well, and instead leave it on the table in the middle of the room so that people get up and put their money there.
Purchase some Purell and/or disinfectants using our CoDA funds and make it available during the meetings.
Announce all these measures during the announcement portion of the meeting and also encourage all of us to wash our hands frequently.
Set up a free conference call service for your meeting:
If your meeting needs help doing this contact the New England CoDA Alliance by using the web contact form here, or emailing to alliance@necoda.org
Reminder: There are established phone and internet meetings available. Check
coda.erg for meetings.
