Choral singing is coming back from the COVID shutdown. Researchers are offering a free protocol enabling choral singers to achieve peak performance safely.

AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA, July 26, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- COVID Choral Singing Protocol Announced

Choral singing is coming back after COVID shut it down more than two years ago. But because of increasing serious COVID variant threats, such as Omicron BA.5, choral leaders are scrambling to figure out how to proceed safely.

Help is at hand for this urgent problem. A group of researchers led by Dr. Lucinda Halstead MD, past president of the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA), has developed a protocol for restoring and maintaining vocal health that enables choral singers to achieve peak performance safely.

They first stipulate that mitigation (use of masks, etc.) is effective, citing a study in which the COVID infection rate for non-mitigated music students was more than four and one-half times higher than for mitigated students.

Dr. Halstead’s protocol and recommended mitigation measures include singer-friendly face masks, environmental controls, and hearing protection. “Facemasks designed for singers offer an immediate solution,” she said. “They can be worn during rehearsals and warmups for the safest level of protection.”

Tim Sharp, past executive director of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), concurs. “COVID does not seem to be going away completely, so some measure of protection is going to be needed for choral singers going forward. Singing masks such as the Noteable and others can contribute effectively to the creation of a safe group singing situation.”

At the recent conference for the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Halstead delivered a full protocol presentation based on her research. A copy of her slide deck, which includes detailed information about her recommended protocol, is available at www.noteablemask.com/halstead2022/.

Contact: Peter Esposito, pme@noteablemask.com

Peter Esposito
Noteable Mask
pme@noteablemask.com

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