Effective September 2022, the Durham Literacy Center remains a mask-required environment. 

​

The DLC is providing in-person and remote instruction this fall 2022. We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure the health and safety of everyone.

 

We require mask wearing inside the DLC at ALL TIMES.

 

We thank all volunteers, students, staff and other visitors for masking so that we can provide in-person instruction without interruptions. 

 

Why continued masking?

 

• Many people in our learning community are nervous or uncomfortable to participate in-person without a mask due to their personal health risk (e.g. immunocompromised, elderly, etc.).  

• We remain a mask-required environment so that all of our students, volunteers and staff are comfortable attending in person and we are prioritizing in-person instruction for our students with lower literacy levels and those who were not able to learn online over the last 2 years. 

• If someone contracts COVID-19, the CDC requires a minimum 5-day quarantine, so if too many staff or volunteers get COVID-19 at one time, then the DLC will have to close. Therefore, we do our best to minimize the spread so that everyone can continue learning.

​

*****See the CDC's recommendations for avoiding COVID-19 transmission here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html#anchor_1658432586589

​

We are following recommendations from the CDC, the World Health Organization, NC Department of Health and Human Services, Durham County Health Department and other public health research to inform our guidelines. Thus, we follow our own DLC guidelines, which may be more conservative than other organizations, but the health and safety of our staff, students and volunteers remain our priority. By adhering to stricter guidelines, we can ensure that we can continue to serve this community. If your own views do not align with ours, we recommend our partner, Durham Technical Community College, until we change our policy due to public health recommendations.

​

• The DLC encourages COVID-19 vaccination.

• We promote frequent hand washing/hand sanitization.

• We require mask wearing and 3 feet social distancing inside the DLC at ALL TIMES until the risk of COVID-19 is minimized.

​

Our policies are directly informed by county-level data using the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker.

​

We will review and update our required protective measures routinely and update them when necessary. 

Vaccinations: The DLC encourages all staff, students, and volunteers to get a COVID-19 vaccination but will not require proof of vaccination.

 

Protective Measures:

• Masks must be worn by all people while in the building at all times and will be provided by the DLC, if needed.

• 3 feet social distancing must be maintained at all times inside the DLC. 

• We will promote frequent hand washing/use of hand sanitizer.

• Upon entering the building all students, staff, volunteers, and visitors will be screened using a health screening tool developed based on recommendations from the CDC and NC Department of Health and Human Services. 

• If an individual meets any criteria in the screening tool (e.g.: temperature of >100.4, confirmed exposure to COVID-19, or answers yes to other questions) they will not be able to enter the DLC or participate in in-person programs or services for 14 days.

• Routine cleaning and sanitizing of surfaces and spaces will be conducted frequently.

• The DLC will take steps to increase air circulation in all instructional spaces.

• Only people with a pre-scheduled appointment, class, or tutoring session will be allowed onsite at the DLC.

• No open computer lab or other drop-in activities.

• All communal spaces will be closed.

​

Thank you so much for your help by following our rules to sure we remain open and continue to provide in-person instruction to those who need it the most.

​

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or feedback.

​

Lizzie Ellis-Furlong

Executive Director

Lizzie@durhamliteracy.org

(919) 489-8383 ext. 22