Infection Control

Last updated: January 6, 2025

Prior to auditions for performers, the following steps should be taken:

1. The employer and the venue manager (if the location is not owned by the employer) should confirm that the venue’s infection control policy and procedures have been posted in the holding and audition rooms.

Prior to in-person employment for the performers and stage managers, the following steps should be taken:

1. A risk assessment should be conducted to determine the level of controls to be implemented to reduce infectious disease transmission. The assessment should address:

   • Infectious agents – how infectious, severity of illness

   • The level of immunity – from vaccination or past infection

   • The level of community transmission

   • Type of transmission – droplet (masking, distancing, testing), aerosol (masking, testing, ventilation enhancements per ASHRAE Standard 241), direct contact and surface (fomite) (cleaning) and via food (transport, storage, preparation, personal hygiene) or water (source)

   • The speed, accuracy, availability, and cost of disease specific tests

2. Based on the risk assessment above, the employer should create its infection control policy and procedures for the performers and stage managers. The policy and procedures should include, but are not limited to, the following:

   • Policies and education that support isolation and time off from work for potentially infectious employees

   • Policies and education encouraging appropriate vaccinations

   • Any additional protective measures for individuals at higher risk

   • Information regarding sanitation practices in the workplace

   • Any limitations on touching/kissing

   • Policies regarding use of masks

   • Policies regarding testing

   • Practices for mitigating infections risks posed by audience members

   • Guidelines for employee conduct to reduce the transmission of infections within the workplace

   • Procedures for identifying infection in the workplace

   • Procedures for removing infectious personnel from the workplace until they are no longer infectious

   • Contact tracing

   • Sanitation

   • For major outbreaks, a process that includes case management, testing, additional controls and cleaning, pause in activity, and reporting to public health authorities

3. The employer should provide its infection control policy and procedures in writing to the performers, stage managers and Equity no later than first day of in-person employment.

4. The above are recommended guidelines. Consult your collective bargaining agreement and any applicable public health regulations.

5. Additional recommended guidelines can be found at the following organization:

   • Centers For Disease Control (CDC)

     • https://www.cdc.gov/covid/prevention/index.html

     • https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevention/

     • https://www.cdc.gov/mpox/about/

     • https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/