No doubt you’ve seen the news about what changes are going to be made from next Monday and we wanted to set out our position going forward from that date.
Please keep wearing your mask and washing your hands
As a member of the Association of Independent Rehearsal and Recording Studios, we have been advised that, after talking to the Department for Culture Media and Sport, UK Music and the Music Producers Guild, we should keep all procedures in place from the 19th July. As a business that, unfortunately, is a prime location for transmission to take place, we feel it’s too soon to lift the restrictions that have helped us to keep our studios a safe place for everyone to interact and make music together.
As was spelled out in the presentation by Professor Chris Whitty, whilst the vaccine helps to suppress the virus and make infections less severe and the chances of becoming infected much less, it is still infectious and transmissible. The Delta varient seems to be a particularly nasty version of the virus that still has the ability to hospitalise up to 25% of the population if we’re not careful. We have had anecdotal evidence given to us by NHS staff that work at Southmead, that the majority of cases being admitted are people in their 20s who haven’t been vaccinated and 40-50 year olds that have and have stopped being as vigilant.
We want everyone to feel that the studios are somewhere where all are welcome and safe. We have a wide range of ages that use our studios ranging from 6 – 60+. This means that we have people who are clinically vulnerable who use our space, people who are looking after people who are clinically vulnerable and others who are immuno-compromised as well as you lucky ones, who can spring out of bed with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. We need them to feel able to use our space without fear of either themselves or their loved ones being infected because they are coming here.
Like everyone, I’ll be very relieved when this is all over, but it isn’t over yet and that’s why we will be keeping our procedures in place and asking you to be as vigilant at before until such time as we feel we can – and we’re advised to – do otherwise.
Stay safe and see you soon!
