Visitor Guide (COVID-19) / Help Sheet 

This Visitor Guide / Help Sheet was first published in 2020 to allow us to safely re-open the Theatre to employees, visiting contractors and participants / audiences / customers following the COVID-19 outbreak. We have produced an extensive Risk Assessment which is available on our website and we encourage everyone who feels able to read it all to do so.  

Half Moon is presently able to deliver in person our full Youth Theatre, Youth Service, and schools and children’s centres youth outreach programmes. Our artform development and filming for performance programme continues. Our performance programme at Half Moon and on tour, and gallery programme at Half Moon continues online and on demand. We are working towards a blended programme of digital and in person performances for audiences sometime after the 17 May.

For those who are able to engage with this wide-ranging programme of activities, and those who may be visiting the building, including contractors, this simple summary document may be useful to understand the steps we have taken, and continue to take, that are most relevant to you, as we operate in line with what is permitted as England moves through the roadmap out of lockdown that was published in March 2021 as recently updated on 12 April in the government guidance ‘(COVID-19) Coronavirus restrictions: what you can and cannot do’

Our Risk Assessment:

• is based on current Government, Public Health England (PHE) and other relevant guidance including those for out-of-school settings, theatre venues, galleries, and office, youth and multi-purpose community settings and will be continuously adapted if there is any change in this guidance;
• aims to reduce, so far as is reasonably practicable, and with your support, the risk of infection from and spread of COVID-19.

Half Moon:

• complies with social distancing guidelines based on current Government and PHE guidance;
• has a regime in place for increased formal cleaning, focused on high traffic areas / touch points. As a result, every day we undertake an extensive clean of the building, as well as additional cleaning in rooms / locations between sessions / activity when used by different groups;
• has adapted all activity sessions and working practices to reduce the risk of infection spreading.

The changes we have made include:

• restricting the number of core staff present in the building to allow us to be open safely without compromising the delivery programmes we operate;
• staff taking a twice weekly rapid lateral flow test to ensure that everyone at Half Moon is COVID-19 negative;
• taking the temperatures of all staff, visitors, audiences and activity participants on arrival using a laser safe thermometer, ensuring that those with high temperatures or showing any COVID symptoms do not enter the theatre and follow government guidance regarding Test and Trace;
• ensuring that participant / audience numbers are informed by current Government and PHE guidance;
• ensuring that our staff wear masks / face-coverings in all public areas of the building to enable them to greet you safely;
• maintaining and promoting social distance wherever possible;
• encouraging the practise of good hygiene including washing hands with soap and running water for 20 seconds before and after sessions / activity / performances take place;
• retracting our seating in the main working space, creating a large open room. We will use our ventilation system to create fresh airflow;
• providing guidance on how to move around the building supported by enhanced signage;
• providing antibacterial gel and enhanced handwashing facilities;
• minimising the number of people coming in and out of the building ensuring that visitors and contractors are booked in to attend;
• displaying our unique QR code to support Track and Trace;
• ensuring that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms does not come to the building and follows government guidance regarding Test and Trace.

Things we ask you to consider:

 

For Everyone – Face coverings/masks

All participants / visitors over 11 years old (school Year 7 plus), are expected to wear a face covering / mask when entering the building and this must be kept on in our public areas until they leave the building unless there is a reasonable excuse for removing it or they are exempt from wearing one. 

We will:

• recognise that there are some circumstances where it may not be appropriate for someone to wear a face covering and that the reasons for this may not be visible to others.
• on request, provide a simple ‘exemption card’ to support individuals when visiting Half Moon and for use in the wider community.
• not unreasonably refuse access to the building, and will provide, if appropriate, a disposable face mask to allow everyone to enter the building safely.

 

For parents / carers and participants taking part in participatory activity

• Parents / carers are encouraged to limit the number of out-of-school activity settings their child or they themselves attend in a week.
• Parents / carers are encouraged not to come into the Half Moon building when dropping off or picking up their child and we ask that, wherever possible, only one parent / carer at a time drops off and picks up (if you envisage this will be a problem for you or your child, please contact us to discuss).
• Young people and parents / carers are encouraged to walk or cycle to Half Moon wherever possible and avoid public transport as much as possible.
• Young people and parents / carers are encouraged to limit the number of possessions they bring with them to Half Moon to essential items only.
• Everyone is encouraged to bring their own water bottle to refill at Half Moon.

It is not a requirement for anyone taking part in a participatory activity to wear a face covering / mask during the sessions themselves. The face covering can be removed when entering the room where the session is taking place. The face covering / mask will need to be put back on when participants leave the session and re-enter the public areas.

 

For Audiences Attending Performances and / or the Gallery

All participants / visitors over 11 years old (school Year 7 plus), are expected to wear a face covering / mask when watching a performance / visiting the gallery, unless there is a reasonable excuse for removing it or they are exempt from wearing one. 

 

For Half Moon’s core, freelance staff, theatre artists and technical staff

A member of the core Half Moon team will contact you in advance of your time being with us at Half Moon. They will induct you regarding any relevant guidance to make your time at Half Moon safe including logging your presence at work and if appropriate any pre-testing requirements to fulfil your role. Note that it is not a requirement for any staff / artists working for Half Moon to wear a face covering / mask when there are no public / customers in the venue, if the venue is closed to the public or working in a location where public cannot access that space. This includes those professionals who are rehearsing, doing R and D, filming or undertaking technical activity in dedicated spaces. This includes the office zone and basement as demarked by floor signage. It is, however, a requirement in public areas of the venue when public / customers are present. N.B. It is not necessary for staff / artists taking part in a participatory activity to wear a face covering / mask during these sessions. The face covering can be removed when entering the room where the session is taking place. The face covering / mask will need to be put back on when leaving the session to re-enter the public areas.

 

For Visitors including Contractors

Visitors must book their attendance in advance with Half Moon staff. They will be allocated a member of staff who will act as their contact throughout their visit, which may include supervision, All visitors including contractors must adhere to our guidelines at all times including the use of face masks as appropriate.

 

COVID-19: Illness / Symptoms / Test and Trace

If, on a day you are coming to Half Moon, you, or any member of your household shows symptoms of COVID-19, however mild, or you have received a positive COVID-19 test result, or have been told to self-isolate by the government’s Test and Trace service, DO NOT COME TO HALF MOON. Call Half Moon and tell us. It is then your responsibility to take a test if you haven’t done so already.

Similarly, if, less than 48 hours since you last came to Half Moon, you (your child) or any member of your household shows symptoms of COVID-19, has received a positive COVID-19 test result, or have been told to self-isolate by the government’s Test and Trace service, again call Half Moon and tell us. DO NOT COME TO HALF MOON. It is then your responsibility to take a test.

DO NOT contact anyone who you know has been at Half Moon at the same time as you. IT IS OUR responsibility to inform everyone who may be affected if required by the Test and Trace service to do so: this only takes place if there is a positive test result.

If your result is negative, you may return to Half Moon.

Please note, the most important / recognisable symptoms of COVID-19 are:

Please note, the most important symptoms of COVID-19 are:

• a new continuous cough;
• a high temperature;
• a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia).

Many thanks for reading this information. Please feel free to ask a member of staff for any clarification on anything written here. At Half Moon, we aim to be as safe as possible for everyone. We cannot stop COVID-19 but if we work together, we can minimise the risks. The link to the full Risk Assessment is here.

Updated 12.4.2021