Dear Parents,

As spring weather warms up and summer gets nearer, we wanted to share our plans for the health and screening procedures we will be following this summer to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Health screening will take place in four phases for all campers, volunteers, and staff.  The best protection begins at home and it will take everyone’s efforts for our camps to remain a safe and healthy place for everyone to enjoy.  Those four phases are:

  1.  Pre-camp home screening
  2. Camp arrival screening
  3. Daily screening on site
  4. Post-camp monitoring

 1. Pre-Camp Screening

We will email all participants, campers, and volunteers, a Pre-Camp Health Screening form, all participants will need to print this form and self-monitor for 14 days with pre-screening activities such as:

  •  Taking and recording their temperature for 14 days before camp
  •  Daily Self-screening for the presence of symptoms:
  • fever of 100.4 °F or greater
  • cough / sore throat
  • shortness of breath
  • fatigue / muscle aches
  • headache
  • diarrhea/nausea/vomiting
  • loss of taste or smell
  • Activities within the past 14 days concerning possible exposure to COVID-19 and adherence to safe COVID-19 behaviors.

 

  1. Camp Arrival Screening

Upon arrival, there will be an initial check point for all incoming vehicles. At this check point a staff member will take temperatures of everyone in the vehicle with a contactless thermometer and collect the camper’s pre-camp health screening form.  The results of this initial health screening will determine if an individual is permitted to enter camp or if they require additional screening and evaluation.  Anyone showing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed on site.

 

  1. Daily Screening on site

Each morning all persons on site will receive a temperature check along with answering daily questions to monitor for the presence of symptoms, as described above.  Temperature logs and responses to questions will be recorded.

 If a participant is identified as having a potential case of COVID-19, that person will be isolated and monitored by our health staff in full PPE gear.  We will contact the participant’s parent/guardian/emergency contact as soon as possible to make arrangements for pick up. We will then work with that participant/family along with local health department for any follow up necessary, including contact tracing if deemed appropriate.

Anyone determined to have been in close contact with the ill person (15 minutes combined exposure within a 24-hour period less than 6 feet away regardless of mask usage), and everyone in the impacted cohort will undergo enhanced health monitoring for the remainder of the camp session.  Enhanced health monitoring will consist of symptom screening and temperature checks three times per day.

If a second suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 appears within a cohort, that cohort’s program will end and all campers in the cohort will be sent home.

 

  1. Post-camp Monitoring

Once your camper has returned home, continue to monitor them for COVID-19 signs and symptoms and notify the Retreat and Camping Ministries office if your camper tests positive for COVID-19 within 14 days from the end of their camp session.

 Safety of our camp community is our upmost priority, and we need your help leading up to camp; by making COVID-19 safe choices (including decisions around travel and people interactions) prior to coming to camp, recording daily screenings, and encouraging proper hygiene methods before and while at camp.

 

Sincerely,

Chris Schlieckert

Director of Retreat and Camping Ministries

 

Rev. Kirstin Shrom-Rhoads

Director, Manidokan Camp and Retreat Center

 

P.S. if you missed any of our earlier parent email updates, you can find them at: https://www.bwccampsandretreats.com/about-us/blog/