Covid Safety
Our Covid safety strategy for outside meetings depends on 2 layers, following the swiss cheese model. These are testing and distancing.
Testing
Pluslife
Pluslife is a commercial, molecular LAMP assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.
If you want to know about the tests we use, read up on the technology on virus.sucks, but to summarize: Pluslife is a test for SARS-CoV-2 infections similar to rapid antigen tests, but with near-PCR sensitivity, and it takes 35min for the result.
Contraindications
As some foods and drinks can lead to false results, it is recommended to not drink, eat, smoke, or brush your teeth for 30-60 minutes before arrival. As we test for any indication of Covid, it would also be counterproductive to use any tools/medicine which reduces viral load before testing. This includes nasal sprays like VirX, as well as mouthwash like Listerine. Since those have an effect for a long time, we ask you not to use them for 4 hours before the event.
We are aware that both are limitations and especially the latter hinders your ability to protect yourself on the way. Sadly, there is no other way to protect the rest of the attendees if we cannot test all attendees correctly.
How do we Swab?
We take samples in the throat, cheek, below the tongue, and at the front of the nose. If swabbing the throat is a problem for you, a nasopharyngeal (deep nose) swab can be done instead.
The swabbing will be done either by us or by yourself supervised by us. The people swabbing/supervising will wear masks and are experienced in taking samples like this.
We take two sample swabs, so we have a second one for an individual test in case you are in a positive pool. If taking two sets of samples presents any challenges to you, feel free to speak to us, and we will try to find a different arrangement. Arrangements we considered are:
- Only one set of samples is taken immediately and the second only in case you are positive. This will require you to not eat or drink anything until you have a negative pool result or the potential second swab is taken.
- Only one set of samples is taken and tested individually. We would ask you to donate a little bit extra if you can since this almost triples the cost of your test.
Pool Testing
We test in pools of 3. This means that 3 swabs are put inside 1 test kit and tested together. This reduces the amount of machines needed and the cost of the tests.
The disadvantage of pooling is that if the result is positive, we do not know who of the 3 people is positive or how many. Therefore, a positive pool of 3 requires an additional 3 individual tests. We expect few, if any, positive results, as people coming to the event are usually very cautious and therefore unlikely to be currently infected with Covid. But, a negative pool requires 3 additional swabs and 3 additional tests again taking 35 mins. This is why our default process involves 2 swabs in the beginning, to already have a swab ready to retest.
Positive results are often visible after 15 minutes already, meaning the individual tests can start earlier than 35 minutes and will therefore be finished earlier than two full tests. But, if your pool is positive, your time to result takes longer, which might be up to an additional 35 mins more.
As we do events for cautious, non-rich people, we chose to do pooling. We try to find individual solutions for the disadvantages, if they are a problem for you. See the swabbing section.
Wristbands
After swabbing, you get a yellow wristband, which means “you were tested already”. It has a number on it which we use to identify your test, so we can find you again to tell you your result. You will not have to give any personal info to us.
After a negative result, you will receive a green wristband, which means you can enter all areas and other people know you are negative.
Please try to not lose or rip off your wristband.
Waiting for Results
Please keep your mask on, or keep your distance from the group, from the time you arrive until you test negative and get your green band. Only a certified, non-valved FFP2, FFP3 or N95 masks are acceptable here, please bring a mask that meets those standards to join the group before your test comes back even is you'd prefer to travel wearing something else.
The test will take around 40 minutes including test preparations, but can take longer if there is a problem in the lab or with another part of the process.
When we have test results, we will come look for you with the number on your wristband. If you want to go for a walk or come back later, you can leave your phone number at the front desk to be messaged your result. If you cannot be reached or found, you get your result whenever you come back to the location.
Known Risks
While we do everything we can to make these events as accessible as possible, there are some safety limitations you should be aware of.
Public parks are by definition open the general public, and that creates some risks. We will try to keep random people away from our group, but since we are in a public park, we cannot ensure that people don't wander into the group or try to chat you up before someone has the chance to keep them away.
We are not able to place air filters in bathrooms for park events, and bathrooms are shared with unmasked and untested members of the public.
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Event
Costs and Donation Transparency
It's a public park, so it's free. This means the only arising costs are the costs of testing.
10 Pluslife Tests cost €61.88. This means a single Pluslife test costs €6.18, a pool of 3 people costs €2.06. As we need additional swabs for pool testing, we buy swabs in packs of 100x for €47, this adds €0.47 for a total of €2.53 to test a single person.
If a pool is positive, we need to test 3 people once more, so every positive pool adds €19.95. We calculate with at most 1 positive pool per event, that added cost is paid by the organizers from donations from previous events, as we cannot know that cost up front.
As we have only a low cost per person, we can easily allow people in without paying, if many other people donate the recommended €5. The profits we make are split evenly between a donation to the location and our event-pool, from which we pay any positive pools and auxiliary organizing costs (IT, small damages, etc.).
In the future, we want to use the money from the event-pool to improve accessibility, for example by providing SIP-valves or shuttle services for people who depend on them to attend. Event
Locations
We have decided to rotate our events through public parks in different parts of the central city, hoping that will make it easier for people in all parts of Berlin to access at least some of our events. As the organizers are more familiar with some parts of the city than others, please feel free to suggest parks you're familiar with that you think may be good places to host a picnic.
Weather
Please try to dress appropriately for the weather, with comfortable and light clothes in the summer, and appropriately warm and water-resistant clothing in cooler weather. Dressing in layers is highly encouraged, as it will often cool off towards the end of our events. Sunscreen and bug spray are recommended as well.
If it is expected to rain/storm or otherwise have weather that's not compatible with a picnic, please check the event page here for cancellation. Short, light rain won't make us cancel, but if it's just not the weather for picknick, we will cancel and write this on the main page.
Toilets
We try to plan picnics in places where we will have access to public bathrooms. Sometimes the public bathrooms require a fee to use (typically a €1 or less), so please bring a bit of change.
Distance to Other Groups
We try to pick a spot at least 7 meters from the nearest group, but we cannot guarantee a specific distance between you and members of the public.
Accessibility
We try to make our events as accessible as possible, but these events do involve being outdoors for extended periods, and that may not be comfortable for some. We can bring a few extra chairs and blankets for people who need them. These events are outdoors, typically near wheelchair accessible paths. If this is a major concern for you, please mention it to the organizers, so we can be sure to pick an accessible location in the park.
We are more than happy to do our best accommodate other access needs people bring to our attention. If anything else described here creates a major access barrier for you, talk to us, and we'll do our best find a solution that works for everyone.
Potluck
Please bring any food or drinks you want to consume, plus some extra so that we have enough to share and try each other's food. You are not required to share and can just eat/drink for yourself while socializing/having fun.
If you bake or prepare dishes, please check and write down their ingredients, so people know if it's compatible with their dietary restrictions.
We will take care of bringing water, as well as disposable dishes.
Drugs and Alcohol
We ask attendees know their limits when it comes to intoxicating substances, including alcohol, as overuse can lead to reduced safety measures or make other attendees uncomfortable. If you would like to smoke anything, please move far enough away from the group others cannot smell it, as some attendees may be sensitive to smoke.
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