---

Programming Has Been Suspended

Due to Loss of Sponsors
Thanks, COVID!

---

Band Together^TM: Nuanced Social Distancing

Or
What I Did on My COVID 'Vacation'

by
John F Newell
May 1, 2020, Last update:

Disclaimer: This is only a suggestion. I offer it because it occurred to me. Three important notes:

1. It has not been endorsed by any medical expert, or recommended as a course of action by any civic authority.
2. Given the history of the world, some people may feel uncomfortable with this system. It will have to be OK for them to opt out until they see that it operates in a way that distinguishes it from some of its predecessors.
3. This system is not intended as a substitute for (and takes a back seat to) common human decency guided by empathy, sympathy, or compassion.

- JN 5/1/2020

Introduction

In order to jump right into the solution, I have moved the customary background information to another file.

A New Solution

Each of us has some awareness of our own circumstances. And, for most of us, this awareness is complete enough for us to make good decisions about the various risks we take in the course of a day, but sometimes things don't turn out well. Still, most of us are optimists, and so we take our chances.

Generally, the risks we run involve ourselves. Sometimes they put others at risk, and when they do, additional responsibilities apply. With regard to this virus, the risks that we might be willing to take on a personal level are highly likely to have consequences for other people, so we are not just taking chances on own own health, we are putting them at risk as well.

That does not mean, however, that we should all go hide in a cave and hope the roof doesn't fall on us. Responsible risk taking can allow us to take significant steps towards what used to be normal. Already, at least one state (PA) is using a red, yellow, green system to show people the degree to which things are opening up, and so alert people to the risks or situations they are likely to encounter. This proposal suggests taking that system to the next level, introducing a little complexity and a couple of responsibilities in exchange for greater freedom that:

• Does not put the most vulnerable people at greater risk.
• Is not likely to overburden hospital capabilities.
• Does not require tracing via cell phone or contact tracing interviews (So, it does not pose risk of longer term invasions of privacy.)
• Requires little education to implement.

The first thing we need to do is develop a more nuanced system of colors. In general, red can indicate people who are vulnerable, sick or possibly contagious; yellow can indicate those who are taking precautions, and green can indicate those who do not fit those categories but who are playing by the rules to keep others safe. Since there may be various reasons why something (a business, an event, a person) is in one category or another, we have to make distinctions in the colors that reflect these differences. Within each color group, then, there are subgroups: 3 types of red (Red 1, Red 2, and Red 3), 2 types of yellow (Yellow 1, and Yellow 2), and 3 types of green (Green 1, Green 2, and Green 3).

The color chart linked here provides a suggested color code with links to free templates colored patterns are used to assist those who are colorblind. Flags can be used to mark businesses, gathering places, and even homes (say, on Halloween). And, in the case of businesses or gathering places, the flags can be changed on certain days, or at certain hours in order to let the public know who is currently being served inside. They can function like a traffic light, letting you know whether to go in now, or wait till later. For example, a deli may serve lunch for one group at 11:30, another group starting at 12:30, and a third group at 1:30. All they have to do is change the flag (see below for some detailed examples).

It may be helpful as well to display your risk level on your car with a small bumpersticker (this might help when picking up groceries, making deliveries finding parking, or going to new places). The stickers might also be useful on apartment doors, office doors, and other such places. Because stickers are common and come in all kinds of colors and designs, it makes sense to place the text 'COVID-19' on them in order to point out that, yes, this is a COVID-19 color code. It might also be a wise practice to write the date on them using a dry-erase marker, and to update it regularly so that people know that the information is current. On a personal level, one might even decide to wear these colors on an armband that is worn on the upper arm a few inches above the elbow. Why an armband? Because they are easily seen, and they are not currently fashionable. This means that there is little risk of someone accidentally wearing, as a fashion accessory, one the same color (as they might wear a hat, a scarf, a wrist band, a lapel pin...) and sending the wrong signal. Of course, if one were to prefer to wear such items as an indicator, they should be clearly marked as COVID-19 related.

If you've taken a look at the color chart, you might think it's a bit complex. That's the nature of doing things with care. If you want to find out what color to wear or display, use this sheet to find your color quickly. Then use the chart to see what that color entails. See the descriptions here for what these subgroups indicate. And here's a graphic showing people how to interact within and between groups,

Examples of Implementation

Since the interest, these days, is in reopening the economy, these examples will focus on that issue. I'll go over some of the tougher cases, and that should give some sense as to how to proceed in other cases.

a. A Restaurant

Let's say the restaurant serves lunch and dinner. At 11 am, having been closed overnight, the restaurant opens for Red 3 and Yellow 2 customers only (hanging a Red3-Yellow2 flag outside to notify the public [again, see the descriptions here for what these subgroups indicate]). Strict social distancing practices are followed (it is recommended that customers make reservations). The staff dealing with the customers should all be Green 2. Staff that does not deal with the customers should either be Green 1, or should practice strict social distancing with the Green 2 segment of the staff (in no case should someone in the Red 1 or Red 2 groups be working there). At 12:30 (or as soon thereafter as the last Red 3 customer leaves), the restaurant switches to Green, changing the flag outside to Green (no design). It then serves lunch to Green customers under the old 'normal' conditions until 2 pm. Workers who do not have a Green designation should avoid interacting with customers (or the things they have used, e.g., unwashed dishes), and practice strict social distancing with the Green segment of the staff. The restaurant then closes and is sanitized for the dinner hour which starts at 5. Again, Red 3 and Yellow 2 customers get the first sitting and extra care, until, say, 6:30 or 7 pm (again, hang out a Red 3 flag and taking reservations is strongly suggested since it prevents overcrowding or lines). After that, the restaurant switches to Green (hanging out a green flag, relaxing social distancing protocols) for the remainder of the night. Clean-up includes sanitation.

b. A House of Worship

Having two services, one for Red 3 and Yellow 2, the other for Greens would be considerate, hanging out flags to inform people as to what type of service is being held. The service for the Red 3/Yellow 2 group should be held first (since there is no need to sanitize prior to the Green group arriving), and strict rules for social distancing should apply. Enough time should elapse between services so that the parking lot clears. The building should be sanitized prior to the next Red3-Yellow2 service.

c. A Ballpark

A couple of options are available, especially for sports, like baseball, which have many games. One option is to restrict the audience to a certain type (Red3-Yellow2 or Green) for the entire game, hanging the appropriate flag outside to inform them. For a 3 game series, game one could be Red3-Yellow2, and the next two games Green. Sanitation would be required only before and during Red3-Yellow2 games. Green 2 staffing would be required for positions that interact with the public during Red3-Yellow2 games.

A second option is to designate all games as Green (hang a Green flag outside). This allows 'business as usual'. Everyone who is not Green can follow the game on TV, the radio, or the internet. Non-green staff should avoid public areas of the stadium and practice social distancing with other staff.

A third option is to allow Red3-Yellow2 and Greens to attend the same game, but have separate entrances, hallways, and seating sections for the Red3-Yellow2 crowd (hand appropriate flags at entries to the various areas). In those areas, staff would have to be Green 2, seating would have to be safely spaced out (so reserved tickets only, with no changing of seats), access to restrooms would have to be managed, sanitation practices would have to be enhanced, and concession stands closed (all items sold by vendors in the stands). In Green sections, these practices could be relaxed so that old 'normal' protocols could be followed. This could be a good otption for stadiums that anticipate having a good number of empty seats anyway.

d. A School

Since young people attend schools, and they are, generally, at low risk (Green 3), schools can operate under a green flag. This is the case even if teachers and staff are in the Red 3 or Yellow 2 groups, because social distancing is easily achieved between students and teachers, except in pre-school, kindergarden, and, perhaps, 1st grade (That's my guess anyway, based on a traditional model of a teacher who lectures—I haven't been in the lower grade classroom in a while, so I may be misinformed; at any rate, high schools and colleges should be able to operate in this manner).

Special accomodations will, of course, be necessary for Red 3 students, but it should be easier to accomodate these execeptions than to treat everyone as Red 3 (as we have been doing). Red 1 and Red 2 students, teachers, and staff should of course, follow the current stay home/distance learning model until their status changes or until someone develops a vaccine or a better plan. Students who live with Red 3 persons will, as detailed above, fall into the Red 3 category themselves, and so, even though they are not personally at risk, taking precautions with them will help keep their Red 3 housemate(s) safe.

e. Crowded City Streets

If you really want to get into details about this, see this post. A first step could be to treat pedestrian traffic like vehicle traffic, and have one-way flow on each side of the street, or one-way flow on both sides of the street with the direction alternating every other block (essentially, the 'One Way' signs applying to cars would apply to pedestrian traffic as well). Add in social distancing, especially at corners, and you've made a good start.

Conclusion

That's an overview of the system. It does, to a certain extent, rely on testing (testing is needed to distinguish Green 1 & 2 from Green 3, and Red 1 from Red 2), but it can still operate if testing is not available (the greens become Green 3, Red 1 and Red 2 merge into Red 1). Contract tracing is not an issue (part of the goal is to build immunity among the non-Red 3 population, so allowing the disease to spread relatively safely [among the Green 3 group] is part of the program; hospitals should not be overwhelmed with cases as a result, because spread to the Red 3 group—who are most likely to need to be hospitalized—is minimized).

This system, then, does not require an army of detectives tracing the details of everyone's life. You don't need a smartphone, a contract with a phone company, a special app, or a charged battery. A child with a crayon and a piece of paper can quickly copy the design they need. If you have a color printer, print out one of the templates from the links on the color chart. And a pin, a bit of yarn or string, even a little tape or a stapler can be used to fasten the band to the sleeve of a shirt. Persons with some sewing skills can make fancier ones. And, if you own a company and would like to produce them by the zillions, give me a call (before my lawyers call you).

For the most part, people have been voluntarily abiding by the social distancing protocols, so we should be able to count on them to adhere to the rules of this less restrictive system. However, since there are knuckleheads in every crowd, there may need to be some legal muscle behind these rules (for example, someone in Green 3 group deliberatly breathing into the face of someone who is Red 3 might amount to assult or worse, as might identifying yourself as a Yellow 2 when you know that you are Red 1).

As is stated in the disclaimer above, the contents of this article have not (as of the time of this writing) been approved by any medical or civic authority. Perhaps, if it comes to their attention, they will endorse it, or modify it so that it meets their standards and purposes, and then we can all 'Band Together^TM' to defeat this thing in a productive manner. It is posted here as a worked-out example of the sort of thing that just might work. The intention is to get people thinking and talking so that a safe and practical system might be implemented sometime soon. Thank you for your attention. Stay healthy, and be happy.

Some resources

• The Complete Color Chart with explanations
• Just the colors and their meanings
• A quick guide for finding the color-code that suits your current situation (Print out this chart and use it daily to see if your status has changed)
• Templates for armbands, stickers, and flags
• A quick guide for who to interact with, and how