COVID Conscious in the DMV

Welcome to our Meetup Group! This is a group for COVID Conscious/COVID Safe people in the DMV (DC/MD/VA) area looking to connect with others who prioritize the health and well-being of their/our community members, especially those with disabilities, immunocompromised and/or at high risk from COVID-19.

What does "COVID Conscious" mean? - COVID Conscious/COVID Safe means that you are aware that COVID is an ongoing public health crisis, especially for those who are vulnerable/at-risk or members of marginalized communities. A COVID Conscious person takes personal safety measures such as wearing a mask indoors in public, social distancing, and limiting exposure to those who do not take precautions in order to lower the risk of contracting and spreading COVID.

To ensure a safe environment for all, we request that all participants follow rigorous precautions both within and outside the group. This includes always wearing KN95/N95 respirators (or equivalent) in public indoor spaces and staying up-to-date with vaccinations/boosters.

Our commitment to inclusivity extends to providing a 2SLGBTQIA+ friendly space and indicating accessibility levels for all our events.

In-person events are intentionally limited in size to lower exposure risk, and the majority of our gatherings take place outdoors to maximize ventilation and minimize risk. Some indoor events might be suggested to our members if measures such as mandatory masking, HEPA filtration, and/or effective ventilation, are in place.

While masking is encouraged during outdoor events, it is mandatory for all indoor spaces and events. We also strongly recommend rapid testing before attending any gathering. For events where continuous masking is not possible, such as outdoor patio meals, rapid testing will be mandatory. Events requiring testing will be clearly indicated in the description, and attendees must show a negative rapid test to an organizer at the start of the event.

This group will have meetings both virtually and in person. If you are not in the DMV area, feel free to join our group and attend our virtual events so you can meet other COVID Conscious individuals and socialize.

• To facilitate a safe experience, we offer free N95/KN95 masks upon request.
• Please prioritize the health of our community by refraining from attending in-person events if you are experiencing any symptoms - excluding chronic conditions - or have traveled in the past week.
• Please update your RSVP if you can no longer attend an event and notify the event’s organizer if it’s a last minute change. If you don’t, you will be marked as a no-show and may be asked to leave the group after several no-shows.
• In order to ensure that all group members feel safe and that their privacy is respected, our group has a strict policy of getting explicit consent both to take and post pictures of other members. Taking and posting photos of other members is not allowed unless you get permission first. Please note: We reserve the right to remove any content deemed inappropriate or non-consensual.
• If you want to invite someone to be in this group, they MUST request to be a member via Meetup.com and fill out the questionnaire completely in order to be considered for membership to the group. Membership is not guaranteed.

While we do not charge any membership fees to be part of our group, we do incur costs such as the Meetup fee and other costs associated with running our events. As such, we ask that all members contribute what they can when they join the group and then once a year after that. Please message organizer for details. Thank you!