Cat House COVID-19 Guidelines
Saturday, 4 October 2025 06:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crashmarguliesWe will have rapid antigen COVID tests to help with these requirements! Sometimes (not always) we have NAT tests, which have a higher accuracy. If you'd like to buy us some NAT tests or to make sure we request extra rapid tests before you arrive, please let us know.
If, at any point, you decide you want to be maskless in public or around people who have not shared a negative COVID-19 test from the previous 24 hours, we must start from the beginning and test again, requiring masks at our gathering or isolating from you until those tests come back THREE DAYS / 72 HOURS after exposure.
Places it's fine to unmask:
Places it's NOT okay to unmask:
2. [Days -2 and -1] If you’re able, please take TWO rapid antigen COVID tests 24 hours apart [or ONE PCR/Nucleic Acid Amplification {NAT}] before leaving. RAT tests should be examined in BRIGHT LIGHT. Any presence of a “T” line, no matter how faint, indicates a positive test. It’s best practice to label your tests with a name and date and/or time when sending RAT photos to others. Photos taken with FLASH ON offer the clearest view of results.
A) Well-filtered, well-ventilated indoor air OR
B) Few people and good outdoor air quality
AND
C) People who have all tested negative recently
OR
D) regularly take strong anti-viral measures equal to the ones we're asking for
2. Please only remove your mask for short durations for necessary eating, drinking, and meds. Cat House expects visitors to do so with virus risk in mind, and to avoid crowded indoor dining and long mask-less stretches if possible.
3. If you have, or are open to, extra antiviral measures like CPC mouthwash or a portable air filter, travel is the best time to have these on hand! Extra masks are also good to have on hand while traveling.
Please note this includes hotel hallways, rideshares, grocery stores, and anywhere you’re breathing unmasked except where you’re staying (alone!), Cat House, or in a gathering who is all masked and/or all tested negative.
2. Please continue to AVOID HIGH-RISK ACTIVITIES, like large unmasked gatherings and indoor dining. Otherwise, we’re back to respirator-grade masks for all at all times when gathering until a PCR test or NAT (NOT a rapid test/RAT) is taken 72 HOURS *AFTER* YOUR EXPOSURE and is negative.
3. [Day 3] On DAY 3, or 72 hours after you are finished traveling, please take TWO RATs or ONE PCR/NAT to confirm you didn’t pick COVID up on your travels!
4. On [Day 6] and/or 24 hours before you leave, make sure you take a rapid test (minimum, more strenuous testing preferred) to be sure you’re not catching COVID while you’re staying or taking it home with you!
Please let us know if you have any questions or barriers to these requirements. We want to see you and we want to host you, and this is how it's done!
THE SHORT VERSION
In order to be maskless with you at any point, we need you to TEST NEGATIVE FOR COVID (and flu if possible) before you leave on your trip, and WEAR A WELL-FITTING RESPIRATOR MASK THE WHOLE TIME around anyone whose viral status you aren't sure of (i.e you haven't seen their test results!) the WHOLE TIME you are visiting!If, at any point, you decide you want to be maskless in public or around people who have not shared a negative COVID-19 test from the previous 24 hours, we must start from the beginning and test again, requiring masks at our gathering or isolating from you until those tests come back THREE DAYS / 72 HOURS after exposure.
Places it's fine to unmask:
- In your own hotel room while alone or with other people who take these precautions
- In your own rental car ALONE or with other people who mask / test/ take precautions
- In Cat House
- In other gatherings where ALL people consistently wear respirators in public
- In other gatherings where all attendees have tested for COVID in the last 24 hours
Places it's NOT okay to unmask:
- Hotel/apartment hallways or elevators
- Stores
- Indoor dining
- Crowded outdoor gatherings
- Public transit
- Rideshares
THE LONG VERSION
BEFORE TRAVEL
1. [Day -3] Avoid high-risk activities (hospitals and pharmacies, heavy crowds, indoor dining) if possible for THREE DAYS BEFORE your departure date. If you can't avoid risky activities, please wear a well fitting respirator THE WHOLE TIME during your activity. Please note this makes indoor dining impossible.2. [Days -2 and -1] If you’re able, please take TWO rapid antigen COVID tests 24 hours apart [or ONE PCR/Nucleic Acid Amplification {NAT}] before leaving. RAT tests should be examined in BRIGHT LIGHT. Any presence of a “T” line, no matter how faint, indicates a positive test. It’s best practice to label your tests with a name and date and/or time when sending RAT photos to others. Photos taken with FLASH ON offer the clearest view of results.
DURING TRAVEL [DAY/S 0]
1. Wear a well-fitting respirator mask (KF94, KN95, N95, or better), starting when you leave your residence or vehicle and ending only when you get to another place withA) Well-filtered, well-ventilated indoor air OR
B) Few people and good outdoor air quality
AND
C) People who have all tested negative recently
OR
D) regularly take strong anti-viral measures equal to the ones we're asking for
2. Please only remove your mask for short durations for necessary eating, drinking, and meds. Cat House expects visitors to do so with virus risk in mind, and to avoid crowded indoor dining and long mask-less stretches if possible.
3. If you have, or are open to, extra antiviral measures like CPC mouthwash or a portable air filter, travel is the best time to have these on hand! Extra masks are also good to have on hand while traveling.
UPON ARRIVAL
1. Please continue wearing a respirator around PEOPLE WHOSE COVID TEST STATUS IS UNKNOWN and PEOPLE WHO TAKE FEWER PRECAUTIONS THAN CAT HOUSE. If you travel to us but don’t take precautions here, we’re back to respirator-grade masks for all at all times when gathering until a PCR test or NAT (NOT a rapid test/RAT) is taken 72 HOURS *AFTER* YOUR EXPOSURE and is negative.Please note this includes hotel hallways, rideshares, grocery stores, and anywhere you’re breathing unmasked except where you’re staying (alone!), Cat House, or in a gathering who is all masked and/or all tested negative.
2. Please continue to AVOID HIGH-RISK ACTIVITIES, like large unmasked gatherings and indoor dining. Otherwise, we’re back to respirator-grade masks for all at all times when gathering until a PCR test or NAT (NOT a rapid test/RAT) is taken 72 HOURS *AFTER* YOUR EXPOSURE and is negative.
3. [Day 3] On DAY 3, or 72 hours after you are finished traveling, please take TWO RATs or ONE PCR/NAT to confirm you didn’t pick COVID up on your travels!
4. On [Day 6] and/or 24 hours before you leave, make sure you take a rapid test (minimum, more strenuous testing preferred) to be sure you’re not catching COVID while you’re staying or taking it home with you!
Please let us know if you have any questions or barriers to these requirements. We want to see you and we want to host you, and this is how it's done!