We understand that for many people the return to in person activities can be a daunting prospect. Following our announcement in August that our activity groups would be returning to in person, we wanted to make clear some of the steps we are taking to ensure we can minimise potential risks.
After over two years of our services being provided via zoom, we consulted with group attendees and held a trial period in July 2022 which dictated the desire and practicalities of returning to in-person groups. We wanted to make sure that our attendees not only felt comfortable about coming back, but that the majority of people actively desired this change, and that was well and truly the case.
There are many things that we are currently doing to minimise risks and ensure our environment is safe and accessible for those who want to get involved with in person activity groups, these include but are not limited to the following:
- We are currently running a reduced capacity across all of our services. We are currently ensuring that every attendee has space to themselves and can get involved without feeling crammed into a room. We understand that being in busy indoor spaces can cause anxiety, especially for people who are at an increased degree of risk, so limiting numbers helps us to keep each other safe.
- We’re monitoring the air quality using CO2 Monitors and adjusting the ventilation as required. Our Norton Park office has good ventilation built into the space, but we can increase airflow and ventilation by opening the large windows in all areas of our office when needed.
- All members of Ecas Staff will wear face shields and / or face masks when around group attendees. This includes both group leaders and Ecas office staff who you might come in contact with when attending our group activities.
- All members of Ecas Staff are conducting weekly Covid tests before coming into the office to enable us to detect any possible infection before coming into work.
- We have been working on developing the ability to run some of our group activities with a blended approach, enabling some who don’t feel able or ready to come in and take part in person the opportunity to take part online via Zoom.
We understand that everybody’s situation is different, and if you have any questions or concerns we would encourage you to get in touch with us directly. The best methods to do so are by phone on 07500 221 618 or by email to hello@ecas.scot.