Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols to Protect Families and Volunteers

GiGi’s Playhouse Nashville continues to closely monitor the situation with COVID-19 in the counties we serve so we can best protect our friends with Down syndrome (and often other health vulnerabilities) who participate in our programs. Due to the increasing spread of the Delta variant and the strong recommendations of health professionals we trust, GiGi’s will be temporarily reinstituting an indoor mask requirement for all participants, volunteers, and visitors over the age of 2 in our programs and facilities, regardless of vaccination status. It is our hope that this measure truly is temporary, and as infection rates in our community change, we will update these guidelines as soon as possible.

We know that mask-wearing can be a challenge for some of our participants, for a wide variety of reasons. Therefore, we’ve compiled some resources below to assist in helping our kids and adults become more comfortable with masks so long as they remain necessary during the pandemic. If you have any questions or concerns about these precautions, feel free to reach out to Carter Abel at cabel@gigisplayhouse.org at any time.

Resources

1. Down Syndrome Resource Foundation. “Wearing a Mask During COVID-19.” https://www.dsrf.org/programs-&-resources/learn-at-home-5196/wearing-a-mask-during-covid-19

2. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Increasing Mask Compliance in Children With Down Syndrome.” https://www.chop.edu/news/increasing-mask-compliance-children-down-syndrome

3. National Down Syndrome Congress. “COVID-19 and Down syndrome.” https://www.ndsccenter.org/programs-resources/covid-19-resources/

4. Meg Stone-Heaberlin, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. “Wearing Masks: Teaching Individuals with Developmental Disabilities to Tolerate a Temporary New Normal.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6T75jZ6v3I

5. Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis. “Choosing the right Mask for people with Down syndrome.” https://www.facebook.com/dsagsl/videos/choosing-the-right-mask-for-people-with-down-syndrome/645949249603633/