COVID-19 and public safety at XR actions
Public safety is a central concern for us, and is at the heart of all our actions.
The primary aim of the movement is to preserve life on the planet.
No rebels who may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 should feel at all pressurised to take part in physical actions. There are plenty of ways you can contribute from home. See our ‘Rebel from Home’ page for more information >
Most importantly, rebels should not participate in any actions if they, or a person they have been in contact with, has had coronavirus symptoms in the previous 14 days.
If your area is on the Coronavirus watchlist please do not come. Check the number of confirmed cases in your area here.
Key COVID-19 precautions
Three key precautionary elements that action planners will put in place to minimise the risk of infection are:
• Social distancing: Every effort must be made to stay 2 metres (3 steps) away from other rebels.
At key locations, markings on the ground will help to maintain social distancing.
• Face coverings: Wear a face mask at all times and bring a spare.
Additional masks will be available at key locations.
• Hand hygiene: Wash your hands regularly, and bring hand sanitiser.
There will be hand hygiene stations at key locations.
Nominated COVID-19 safety stewards are present at XR protests to keep people alert and remind them of the importance of the protection necessary.
Stay informed
Rebels need to be aware that any action with risk of arrest, remand or prison may involve significant additional personal risks to rebels’ health, security and wellbeing.
It is up to rebels to keep themselves informed of risks, the latest public health guidance and the latest regulations. We will try to keep this guidance on actions in the time of coronavirus up to date which you can find on our action resources page. You can also read here about the latest governmental guidance on COVID-19.
Read More In The Handbook For Life.