Retreat COVID-19 Protocols

Below are our COVID-19 protocols for formal residential retreats (For example: a silent, teacher-led retreat in a group setting over several days). If you are coming to Dhamma Dena for another reason (visitor, individual self-retreatant, individual work-retreatant, or long-term resident), see our General COVID Protocols.

Updated October, 2023

We offer these protocols in the spirit of valuing all life as sacred. We hope these guidelines can keep us all safe and well as we come together to practice and overcome this time of collective challenge together. Protocols will continue to be updated as conditions change.

Vaccination

We require all retreatants to be fully vaccinated, unless they are not able to for health reasons.

Prior to Arrival at Dhamma Dena

Symptoms

If you are sick or experiencing the symptoms of a COVID infection, please wait until your symptoms fully resolve and you are testing negative before coming to Dhamma Dena. Symptoms of COVID-19 commonly appear 2-3 days before a positive test result. At this time, COVID-19 symptoms include one or more of the following:

Arrival at Dhamma Dena

When you arrive at Dhamma Dena, you will be asked to take a rapid COVID-19 rapid test. We will have staff available to support you with how to take your test if needed. Teachers and staff will also participate in testing protocols.

While at Dhamma Dena

Masking is required in common areas for the first two days of the retreat. There will be a second round of rapid testing 2 days into the retreat. If everyone tests negative on the second test, masking will then be optional for the rest of the retreat.

In the Event of a COVID-19 Infection

If anyone tests positive for COVID-19 while on retreat, they will need to move to quarantine accommodations and possibly to make arrangements to leave Dhamma Dena.  We're very sorry that we may not have the capacity for you to stay and quarantine here at Dhamma Dena. The teachers and other retreat participants would be informed that there was a positive test result. We would not cancel the retreat for the remaining participants but (depending on timing) would implement a fresh round of rapid tests.