Reopening After a Pandemic

Guidelines to help you navigate your institution’s future post-COVID 19

Suggested Guidelines for Reopening

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A set of guidelines developed by the Visitor Experience Group for cultural institutions to reopen to the public. There are five tiers ranging from what you can do now through to an eventual full reopening. These recommendations are meant to serve as a guide as your organization makes its own determinations on what works best for your specific situation.

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DISCLAIMER: This is intended to be a helpful guide, not a step-by-step instruction. Please adhere to all local, state, and federal instructions and work closely with local partners to determine the best course of action for your institution.

Table of Contents

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• Slide 4 – Introduction
• Slide 8 – Phase 1
• Slide 14 – Phase 2
• Slide 20 – Phase 3
• Slide 27 – Phase 4
• Slide 33 – Phase 5
• Slide 39 – Appendix

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INTRODUCTION

Introduction

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This document outlines a phased reopening plan for cultural institutions based on federal, state, CDC, and NIH guidelines.

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Each phase is split into sections including:

• Qualifications for beginning the phase
• Facility guidelines
• Experience guidelines
• Staff guidelines
• Conditions for stepping back one phase

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As you go through these guidelines, feel free to edit this document to reflect your institution and its information, needs, and location-specific details.

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Information Needed

1. We recommend also determining capacities for individual galleries/exhibit halls

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This guide will be most helpful if you can fill out the chart below with information relevant to your institution.

Population Density

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We have broken Population Density into three levels, described below. Henceforth throughout the document they will be referred to as PD1, PD2, and PD3. The numbers in the chart below refer to people per square mile.

Information regarding why we factored population density in our reopening guidelines: https://fcpp.org/2020/04/14/early-observations-on-the-pandemic-and-population-density/

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PHASE 1

Institution is closed

Qualifications for Phase 1

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You’re already there – your institution is closed and determining best steps for reopening!

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Planning for Phase 2

1. It is essential that you include staff who have recently worked on the floor/frontline of your institution observing and interacting with your visitors.

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Meet with representatives¹ from Operations, Visitor Experience, Exhibits/Curatorial, and Programs/Education to review:

• High touch points within your space
• What are the most touched things in the museum?
• Doorknobs, railings, interactives, etc.
• Pinch points within your space
• Where physical distancing be impossible/difficult to maintain
• Narrow passages, stairwells, immersive environments, etc.
• Regular traffic flow
• How do visitors normally move through your space?
• Capacity of individual gallery/exhibit spaces
• Cleaning procedures
• What were procedures before? What needs to be updated?

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Key Stakeholders

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Once your plan is in place and approved, begin informing key stakeholders. This could include, but is not limited to, the following:

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Staffing

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Ideally your institution was able to retain and pay staff during closure. If that is not the case, you have to begin rehiring your laid-off/furloughed staff to assist with each phase. Our recommended level for frontline staffing during this process is to apply your chaperone policy to your staffing model. For example, if you typically require one chaperone for every ten children, you should now require one frontline staff member for every ten people who will be on site at a time. The enhanced measures described throughout this document to mitigate visitor flow, encourage physical distancing, and maintain a positive experience in an unfamiliar environment will require at least our recommended amount of frontline staff.

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Prior to moving to Phase 2

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Your entire Phase 2 staff should review:

• The full breakdown of Phase 2 (Slides 15-19)
• Links and resources included in the Appendix of this document (Slides 39-50)
• The VEX Ed webinars dedicated to reopening (Slide 49)

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PHASE 2

Limited Opening

Qualifications for Phase 2

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• Local hospitals are safely able to treat all patients requiring hospitalization without resorting to crisis standards of care
• Capacity exists in the state to test all people with COVID-19 symptoms, along with state capacity to conduct active monitoring of all confirmed cases and their contacts
• Successful completion of all steps outlined on slides 10 through 13
• Sustained reduction of in cases of COVID-19 in your state for the number of days in the chart below

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Facility Guidelines

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• Operate at 25% capacity for both total facility and individual exhibit/gallery spaces
• Cleaning
• Wipe down high touch points at least twice per hour
• Reduce dusting to once per week to avoid aerosolizing germs
• Dusting should only occur when institution is closed and with proper protective equipment
• Close off the following:
• Gift Shop (can offer curbside pickup and/or web shopping)
• Café/restaurant
• Immersive environments/exhibits/spaces under 100 square feet
• Hands-on interactive elements
• Theaters
• Visitor Flow
• Add stanchions, floor decals, and directional signage to assist with maintaining one-way traffic flow
• If possible, designate lanes for staff vs. lanes for visitors
• Follow ADA rules when setting stanchions
• Divide gallery spaces into 10’ boxes to enforce physical distancing

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Experience Guidelines

1. Pods refer to groups from the same household that have been sheltering in place together

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• Reduced hours
• Open no earlier than 10AM
• Close no later than 4PM
• 4 days per week
• Visitors must:
• Bring and wear their own masks and gloves
• Wait to enter institution/individual gallery space if at capacity
• Follow all directional signage
• Maintain physical distance from other groups and staff at all times
• Pods¹ must stay together in same zones throughout their visit
• No group visits
• No events or rentals

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Staff Guidelines

1. See CDC Guidelines in Appendix, Slide 45

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• High risk staff will work remotely, they will not be on site¹
• Take your temperature before coming to work
• Do not come in if your temperature is over 99.9°
• Maintain physical distance of at least eight feet
• From coworkers and visitors
• Wear mask and gloves
• Thoroughly clean work stations, break areas, and all shared spaces before and after use

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Conditions for returning to Phase 1

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• Order from:
• Federal, state, or local government
• National/State park in which institution is located
• Building/landlord in which institution is located
• Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in your institution
• 1 case if staff
• 2 cases if visitors
• Sustained increase of in cases of COVID-19 in your state (refer to chart below)

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PHASE 3

Limited Opening

Qualifications for Phase 3

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• All qualifications of Phase 2 are still in affect
• Restaurants and gyms are beginning to reopen (with limitations) in your area
• Sustained reduction of in cases of COVID-19 in your state for the number of days in the chart below

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Facility Guidelines

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• Operate at 50% capacity for both total facility and individual exhibit/gallery spaces
• Cleaning
• Wipe down high touch points at least twice per hour
• Additional care/focus given to hands-on interactives
• Reduce dusting to once per week to avoid aerosolizing germs
• Dusting should only occur when institution is closed and with proper protective equipment
• Close off the following:
• Immersive environments/exhibits/spaces under 100 square feet
• Theaters
• Reopen:
• Gift Shop (at 50% capacity and with same flow procedures below)
• Café/Restaurant (takeout only)
• Visitor Flow
• Add stanchions, floor decals, and directional signage to assist with maintaining one-way traffic flow
• If possible, designate lanes for staff vs. lanes for visitors
• Divide gallery spaces into 10’ boxes to enforce physical distancing

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Experience Guidelines

1. Pods refer to groups from the same household that have been sheltering in place together

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• Reduced hours
• Open no earlier than 10AM
• Close no later than 4PM
• 5 days per week
• Visitors must:
• Bring and wear their own masks and gloves
• Wait to enter institution/individual gallery space if at capacity
• Follow all directional signage
• Maintain physical distance from other groups and staff at all times
• Pods¹ must stay together in same zones throughout their visit
• Groups limited to 25 people
• 20 students, 5 chaperones over 18
• 25 adults
• Events limited to 30 people
• No outside vendors

Staff Guidelines

1. See CDC Guidelines in Appendix, Slide 45

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• High risk staff can return with limited visitor interaction¹
• Take your temperature before coming to work
• Do not come in if your temperature is over 99.9°
• Maintain physical distance of at least six feet
• From coworkers and visitors
• Wear mask and gloves
• Thoroughly clean work stations, break areas, and all shared spaces before and after use

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Conditions for returning to Phase 2

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• Order from:
• Federal, state, or local government
• National/State park in which institution is located
• Building/landlord in which institution is located
• Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in your institution
• 1 case if staff
• 2 cases if visitors
• Sustained increase of in cases of COVID-19 in your state (refer to chart below)

Take a Moment to Relax

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This stuff is stressful

View animated GIF in Presentation Mode

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PHASE 4

Opening With Relaxed Limitations

Qualifications for Phase 4

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• All qualifications of Phases 2 & 3 are still in affect
• A vaccine is readily available in your area
• Sustained reduction of in cases of COVID-19 in your state for the number of days in the chart below

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Facility Guidelines

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• Operate at 75% capacity for:
• Facility
• Individual exhibit/gallery spaces
• Operate at 50% capacity for:
• Theaters (every other seat blocked off)
• Immersive environments
• Spaces under 100 square feet
• Gift Shop
• Café/Restaurant
• Cleaning
• Wipe down high touch points at least once per hour
• Additional care/focus given to hands-on interactives
• Resume regular dusting schedule with proper protective equipment
• All exhibits/spaces open
• Visitor Flow
• Encourage visitors to continue one way traffic
• Remove stanchions
• Keep floor decals
• Remove 10’ exhibit zones
• Remove directional signage
• Add signage in high traffic areas/pinch points encouraging visitors to maintain distance and wait for their turn

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Experience Guidelines

1. Pods refer to groups from the same household that have been sheltering in place together

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• Return to standard operation hours (or establish new standard)
• Visitors must:
• Wait to enter institution/individual gallery space if at capacity
• Follow all directional signage
• Maintain physical distance from other groups and staff at all times
• Pods¹ must stay together in same zones throughout their visit
• Groups limited to 25 people
• 20 students, 5 chaperones over 18
• 25 adults
• Events limited to 50 people
• No outside vendors

Staff Guidelines

1. See CDC Guidelines in Appendix, Slide 45

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• High risk staff can return with limited visitor interaction¹
• Take your temperature before coming to work
• Do not come in if your temperature is over 99.9°
• Maintain physical distance of at least six feet
• From visitors
• Mask and gloves optional
• Wipe down work stations, break areas, and all shared spaces before and after use

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Conditions for returning to Phase 3

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• Order from:
• Federal, state, or local government
• National/State park in which institution is located
• Building/landlord in which institution is located
• Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in your institution
• 1 case if staff
• 2 cases if visitors
• Sustained increase of in cases of COVID-19 in your state (refer to chart below)

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PHASE 5

Fully Open

Qualifications for Phase 5

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• All qualifications of Phases 2-4 are still in affect
• All staff have been vaccinated
• Sustained reduction of in cases of COVID-19 in your state for the number of days in the chart below

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Facility Guidelines

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• Reevaluate functional capacity with your Operations, Programs, and Visitor Experience teams
• Gift shop and café/restaurant fully open
• Cleaning
• Wipe down high touch points at least once per hour
• Visitor Flow
• Encourage visitors to continue one way traffic
• Optional to keep:
• Floor decals
• Directional signage
• Signage in high traffic areas/pinch points encouraging visitors to maintain distance and wait for their turn

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Experience Guidelines

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• Standard operating hours
• Visitors are encouraged to:
• Follow all directional signage
• Maintain physical distance from other groups and staff
• Group visit policies can return to normal
• Event/rental policies can return to normal

Staff Guidelines

1. See CDC Guidelines in Appendix, Slide 45

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• High risk staff should use caution during visitor interaction¹
• Option to continue taking your temperature before coming to work
• Do not come in if your temperature is over 99.9°
• Maintain physical distance when interacting with visitors
• Wipe down work stations, break areas, and all shared spaces before and after use

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Conditions for returning to Phase 4

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• Order from:
• Federal, state, or local government
• National/State park in which institution is located
• Building/landlord in which institution is located
• Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in your institution
• 1 case if staff
• 2 cases if visitors
• Sustained increase of in cases of COVID-19 in your state (refer to chart below)

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Appendix

Helpful information to consider as you plan your reopening

Glossary

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• COVID-19 – Stands for the coronavirus disease 2019. It is caused by the novel virus SARS-CoV-2.
• Coronaviruses – Group of viruses that cause a variety of diseases in humans and animals. They're named for the distinctive crown-like spikes on the virus surface. Human coronaviruses were first identified in the mid-1960s but have likely existed much longer. All cause respiratory symptoms in disease outbreaks including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) and now COVID-19.
• Doff/Doffing – To remove/removing, as in the proper technique for doffing your gloves can be found on slide 42
• Don/Donning – To put/putting on, as in donning a mask before interacting with the public
• Novel Coronavirus – Scientists use the word "novel" to distinguish the new form of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) currently making people sick from previous types of coronaviruses (such as SARS and MERS). Because it is a novel virus that no one has previously been exposed to, that means no one has had a chance to build immunity (with the possible exception of people who have recently recovered from COVID-19).
• Pod – Term used to describe groups/families who have been sheltering in place together throughout shutdown orders
• PPE – Personal Protective Equipment (gloves, masks, etc.)
• SARS-CoV-2 – Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2, is the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. A scientific group called the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses gives viruses names that reflect their genetic structure and allow them to be grouped with similar viruses for research purposes, including the development of diagnostic tests, medications and vaccines.

Resources

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• EPA Registered list of disinfectants: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
• CDC Facility disinfecting guide: https:// www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html
• NIH Guide: https://tools.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/covid19worker/
• AAM Guide for Reopening: https://www.aam-us.org/2020/04/29/how-to-get-ready-to-open-the-doors/
• AEI Roadmap for Reopening (resource cited by Johns Hopkins University and several Governors): https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/national-coronavirus-response-a-road-map-to-reopening/
• Johns Hopkins Reopening Guide: https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/pubs_archive/pubs-pdfs/2020/200417-reopening-guidance-governors.pdf
• AASLH Webinar: https://learn.aaslh.org/products/live-webinar-aaslh-conversations-planning-for-reopening
• Broadway Green Alliance tips for maintaining green initiatives: https://www.broadwaygreen.com/greenquarantine

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Further Reading

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• Johns Hopkins University on Herd Immunity - https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/from-our-experts/early-herd-immunity-against-covid-19-a-dangerous-misconception
• Forbes on Reopening - https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertpearl/2020/04/21/3-coronavirus-facts/?fbclid=IwAR3QKFhgkZpnX5hEYjCyolph22G2vWrApCkxCYwhyy_eTGLY8ahLSoioaJY#c3df78c4721b
• Cuseum blog on reopening - https://cuseum.com/blog/2020/5/5/tips-amp-strategies-for-reopening-museums-after-covid-19-closures

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Proper Glove Doffing

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1. Grasp the outside of one glove at the wrist. Do not touch your bare skin.
2. Peel the glove away from your body, pulling it inside out.
3. Hold the glove you just removed in your gloved hand.
4. Peel the second glove by putting your fingers inside the glove at the top of your wrist.
5. Turn the second glove inside out while pulling it away from your body, leaving the first glove inside the second.
6. Dispose of gloves safely. Do not reuse gloves.
7. Wash your hands (see next slide)

Video tutorial

Proper Hand Washing

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1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

CDC video on handwashing

CDC Definition of High Risk Individuals

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• Adults over 65
• People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
• People who have serious heart conditions
• People who are immunocompromised
• Many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications
• People with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher)
• People with diabetes
• People with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis
• People with liver disease

Accommodations should be made to allow these individuals to work and get paid during phases in which they are not on site.

CDC COVID-19 Symptoms

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People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

• Fever
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness.

This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you have any of these emergency warning signs* for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Call 911 if you have a medical emergency: Notify the operator that you have, or think you might have, COVID-19. If possible, put on a cloth face covering before medical help arrives.

CDC Checklist for Community Orgs

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• Update your emergency operations plan with the help of your local public health department, emergency operations coordinator or planning team, and other relevant partners to include COVID-19 planning.
• Identify space that can be used to separate sick people if needed.
• Develop an emergency communication plan for distributing timely and accurate information to workers and those you serve.
• Identify actions to take if you need to temporarily postpone or cancel events, programs, and services, especially for groups at greater risk such as older adults or people with chronic health conditions.
• Promote the practice of everyday preventative actions.
• Frequently wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow.
• Clean frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Stay home when sick.
• Provide COVID-19 prevention supplies at your organization (e.g., soap, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, tissues, trash baskets, and a couple of disposable facemasks, just in case someone becomes sick during an event).
• Plan for staff absences by developing flexible attendance and sick-leave policies, plan for alternative coverage, and monitor and track COVID-19 related staff absences.
• Engage with stigmatized groups and speak out against negative behaviors to help counter stigma and discrimination.

CDC Checklist for Community Orgs

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If there is COVID-19 in your community:

• Stay informed about local COVID-19 information and updates.
• Put your emergency operations and communication plans into action.
• Communicate with your community members if events and services are changed, postponed, or cancelled.
• Emphasize everyday preventive actions through intensified communications with employees and visitors to your organization.
• Stay home when sick.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow.
• Wash hands often.
• Limit close contact with others as much as possible (about 6 feet).
• During an event, if someone becomes sick separate them into an isolated room and ask them to leave as soon as possible.

VEX Ed Webinars

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Visit visitorexperience.group/reopening-your-institution to view webinars, read chat transcripts, and find other resources related to reopening your institution.

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Visitor Experience Group Contact

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Stay Safe & Good Luck!