An outbreak at a choir practice hints at how coronavirus spreads

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"The act of singing itself might have contributed to SARS-CoV-2 transmission," the CDC says

May 13, 2020

By Matthew Rozsa

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) cited a two-and-a-half hour choir practice in Washington state Tuesday as an example of a “superspreader event” and argued that it “underscores the importance of physical distancing, including avoiding gathering in large groups, to control spread of COVID-19.”

The 122-member choir, which is located in Skagit County, held regular 2.5-hour practices every Tuesday evening through March 10, according to the CDC. Health authorities determined that the point-source exposure event was most likely the practice held on March 10, given that “the odds of becoming ill after the March 3 practice were 17.0 times higher for practice attendees than for those who did not attend, and after the March 10 practice, the odds were 125.7 times greater.”

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According to the local news affiliate Komo News, two of the choir members died after attending the March 10 practice. That practice was held nearly two weeks before the state issued a stay-at-home order.

The CDC also reported that 78 members attended a practice held on March 3, and 61 attended the practice held on March 10. Within the former group, 65.4 percent of attendees became ill (all but one of those ill individuals also attended the March 10 practice). Within the latter group (excluding the patient who became ill on March 7), 86.7 percent subsequently ill. In the March 10 practice members set up chairs and returned them, sang while sitting in close proximity to each other, and ate snacks together.

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https://www.salon.com/2020/05/13/an-outbreak-at-a-choir-practice-hints-at-how-coronavirus-spreads/

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Scary

[Staph]

1. We have a Re-Launch team in my United Methodist church.

We are months from opening up in-person services, but we want to do it right.

One of the things that is being passed around is an article about the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and other groups, who put together an expert panel "to bring scientists and medical professionals directly to our audience, as those of us who run professional organizations do not have the direct knowledge ourselves of these complex issues."

Basically, the answer is, no singing. No choir. No congregational singing. Until there is a vaccine and/or an extremely effective treatment.

This is so painful for Methodists. Our founder, John Wesley, wrote back in the 18th century about the importance of music and hymns as a part of our worship. We sing frequently and lustily and occasionally out of tune, but we love to sing. It will be a thrust directly to the heart for me and for our congregation.

But we will stop singing, because we must.

Link to the article:
https://www.middleclassartist.com/post/nats-panel-of-experts-lays-out-sobering-future-for-singers-no-vaccine-no-safe-public-singing