From Monday 19th July, there are no limits on choirs, whether singing indoors or outdoors, and the need to socially distance has been removed.

Any number of people can rehearse together outside, though it is important to consult your choir members to ensure they are happy to sing in this context and to have a risk assessment in place.

Choirs can rehearse indoors from 19th July.

There is no limit on the number of people that can rehearse indoors, though there are factors that will still need to be considered before going ahead. A risk assessment is essential, and choirs must decide for themselves what other mitigations they might keep in place in consultation with their membership. These can include, but is not limited to, ensuring a well-ventilated space, distancing, use of facemasks, limiting rehearsal time, a requirement to take lateral flow tests prior to rehearsals, a check on whether vaccinations are in place (Making Music recommend this is done anonymously), temperature taking on arrival and ensuring anyone with symptoms stays at home.

There are no formal time restrictions on your rehearsal, however as aerosols build over time, it is recommended that rehearsal durations are limited with breaks included where people can go outside and/or the area can be aired.

When singing outdoors, there is no need to wear masks unless individuals choose to. The requirement to wear face coverings indoors has been downgraded from ‘mandatory’ to an ‘expectation’ to do so. Choirs will need to decide whether they feel it is appropriate to continue to wear masks whilst singing or to wear masks when moving around but sing unmasked with good ventilation and some spacing, but this can be up to the individual.

From 19th July 2021, church choirs can return with no limit on numbers for adults or children, and congregational singing will return. It is up to individual settings on whether facemasks should be worn, and churches should undergo the same risk assessment process for this as they would for any singing activity. For further details, here is the RSCM’s FAQs re singing in church: https://www.rscm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FAQs-re-Singing-15th-July-2021.pdf

There is no limit to numbers rehearsing indoors or outdoors for youth groups. Leaders should however ensure full risk assessments are in place for their rehearsals in the same way they would for an adult choir. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring a well-ventilated space, distancing, use of facemasks, limiting rehearsal time, a requirement to take lateral flow tests prior to rehearsals, a check on whether vaccinations are in place, temperature taking on arrival and ensuring anyone with symptoms stays at home.

The majority of choir members will have received their vaccination by 19th July, and all adults in the UK are now eligible to have their first vaccine if they have not already done so. It is up to choirs whether or not to poll members to find out how many members have been vaccinated, and this is something that should be done in conjunction with the choir’s Data Protection policy. Making Music recommend this is done anonymously. The readily available home testing will help provide peace of mind in this instance.