For the summer 2022 camping season we have developed the following COVID safety protocols.  The level of community spread will be checked on the Friday before the start of a program and will determine the protocols for duration of the program.  Camp Harmison is in Morgan County West Virginia, Manidokan is located in Washington County Maryland and West River is located in Anne Arundel County Maryland.  You can check the level of spread at https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view?list_select_state=all_states&list_select_county=all_counties&data-type=CommunityLevels&null=

Posted 5/19/2022

Participant Health Monitoring & Screening

Health Monitoring and Screening:

For all community levels: Low, Medium, and High

It is critical that signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are detected as early as possible to prevent/limit the interactions of a sick individual.  Preventing the spread of COVID-19 at camp begins at home.

Vaccinations are now available for people as young as 5 years old.  If your camper is eligible to receive the vaccine, we strongly encourage you to have your camper vaccinated before camp.  Please keep in mind the timing of when vaccine shots are administered and when full vaccination status is achieved.  We are also encouraging all camp staff and volunteers to be vaccinated.

Pre-Camp Monitoring

  • A completed “Pre-Camp Health Screening” form will be required for all campers, volunteers, and staff. This form must be turned in at check in.
    • The Pre-Camp Health Screening will ask if you have followed CDC recommendations on Isolation and quarantine over the past 10 days if your camper has recently been exposed to COVID-19. These requirements vary based on vaccination status and you can find details at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html
    • It will ask if your camper has had any COVID-19 signs and symptoms, including temperature (100.4), in the 10 days leading up to the start of camp.

Pre-Camp Testing Requirement

  • All overnight campers must present a negative COVID-19 test from no more than 24 hours before the start of camp and ideally from the morning the program starts.
  • Campers in day camp programs do not need to provide a negative test.

Initial Camp Screening

  • Upon arrival to camp at the beginning of the session, campers, staff, and volunteers will have their temperature checked and they will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms.
  • Bring a copy of your camper’s COVID-19 vaccination card.
  • 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 with signs and symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed on site.

Daily Camp Health Monitoring

Early detection of signs or symptoms of COVID-19 is critical to slowing the spread of the illness.

  • Each day campers, volunteers, and staff will have their temperature checked and will be screened for additional COVID-19 symptoms.
  • See “Response to possible illness” section below.
Program Cohorts, Physical Distancing & Face Masks
Program Cohorts, Physical Distancing, & Face Masks

During Low or Medium Community Levels:

Interactions between programs is permitted.  Masks are optional in most situations.  Masks are still required when visiting the health center.  Please make sure your camper has face masks with them at camp.

During High Community Levels:

  • Each program will function as a cohort and will run as independently as possible.
  • We will minimize the interaction between any cohorts on site through scheduling changes and limited, physically distanced by individual and cohort, outdoor programming.
  • Campers and volunteers from one cohort will not be allowed into the areas designated for exclusive use by another cohort.
  • Campers will sleep alternating head to toe to create as much distancing as possible while sleeping. Campers will not be permitted to enter any sleeping area that is not their own.
  • Campers will wear a mask in spaces used by multiple groups (like the dining hall).
  • If staff interact with more than one cohort, they will follow CDC recommendations and any applicable local health regulations for physical distancing and face coverings.
  • The use of shared spaces will be limited as much as possible, and spaces will be disinfected between cohorts.
  • The use of shared equipment will be limited as much as possible and will be disinfected between uses following applicable disinfection standards. When possible, equipment will be assigned to a particular camper for the duration of the program.
Cleaning & Sanitation
Cleaning & Sanitation

During Low and Medium Community Levels:

Keeping the camp clean and sanitized helps reduce the spread of all kinds of germs and is particularly important with COVID-19 so we will be enhancing our regular cleaning processes.

  • Facility air filtrations systems have been improved in many buildings on site. Where appropriate we will open windows to increase fresh air flow through buildings.
  • Lodging and meeting spaces used by only one cohort will be cleaned and disinfected between each session – restrooms and high touch surfaces will be disinfected daily.
  • Adults in each cohort will have sanitation supplies to perform additional cleanings of high touch surfaces and other areas daily and more frequently as needed.
  • In the event of a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, all areas the person came into contact with will undergo enhanced cleaning and sanitation per ACA Field Guide recommendations before the area is used again.
  • Hand sanitizer will be located at each building entrance and each activity area. Campers, volunteers, and staff will use sanitizer when entering and exiting each building.
  • Activities such as high ropes, boating, archery, etc. will follow COVID-19 operational and cleaning guidelines developed by the corresponding industry leaders/associations

During High Community Levels:

  • Any bathrooms used by more than one cohort will be sanitized three times per day.
  • In the event of a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, all areas the person came into contact with will undergo enhanced cleaning and sanitation per ACA Field Guide recommendations before the area is used again.
Staff & Volunteer Education
Staff and Volunteer Education

For all community levels: Low, Medium, and High

A well-educated and prepared staff and volunteer team is essential to create a cultural of safety.

  • Staff and volunteers will be reminded of proper handwashing technique and frequency.
  • Staff and volunteers will be trained on how to monitor for and report signs and symptoms of illness and injury.
  • Staff and volunteers will be trained to properly clean and disinfect buildings, equipment, and high touch surfaces and where to access needed supplies.
  • Staff will be trained to properly don and doff personal protective equipment (PPE) and when to implement use with campers, volunteers, and other staff.
  • Day guests for program purposes only and partial week volunteers will be allowed.
    • If working with an overnight program, a negative COVID test will be required.
    • If the Community Level is High the person must also be up to date on their vaccinations.
  • Volunteers and staff will limit off-site trips as much as possible.
    • If the Community Level is High masks will be required when leaving site during the week.
Camper Education
Camper Education

For all community levels: Low, Medium, and High

Campers need to understand the expectations for COVID-19 safe practices and how to meet them.

  • At the start of each session campers will be shown proper hand washing techniques.
  • Campers will be instructed to wash hands or use hand sanitizer: before each meal, upon entering any building, before and after any activity, after coughing, sneezing, or wiping nose, and after using the restroom.
  • Campers will be told the personal hygiene expectations at camp.
    • Encouraged to shower daily
    • Not to share personal belongings
    • Cough etiquette
    • Physical distancing
    • How to report an illness or injury
  • Wearing a Face Mask
    • Face masks must be worn to visit the health facility at camp.
    • During Low or Medium masks will be optional for campers, volunteers, and staff. We will support anyone’s decision to wear a mask.

During High Community Levels:

  • Masks will be worn in specific areas or at designated times under direction of camp staff.
  • Day campers will wear a mask when indoors.
Arrival & Departure
Arrival and Departure

For all community levels: Low, Medium, and High

Arrival and departure times have lots of moving parts and more people on site than other times over a week of camp, so specific procedures to keep everyone safe are essential.

  • Check in will be staggered to avoid crowding. Campers will be given a specific check in time window.
  • The check in process will be done as a “drive thru.”
  • Upon arrival the camper will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms.
  • The Pre-Camp Health Screening form will be collected and reviewed.
  • Families will be asked to limit the number of people coming for drop off and pick up to only those necessary.
  • There will be no large group closing program.
  • Parents/guardians will not be allowed into the camper’s building during check in.

During Low and Medium Community Levels:

  • Parents/guardians may enter the camper’s building at check out while wearing a face mask.

During High Community Levels:

  • Parents/guardians may not enter the camper’s building at check out.
Transportation
Transportation

For Low and Medium community levels

The small space of a vehicle poses unique challenges and requires additional safety steps when campers are being transported as a part of the camp program.

  • The driver will wear an N95/KN95 mask.
  • Interior surfaces of the vehicle and door handles will be disinfected between uses.
  • Groups will travel only with people from their cohort.
  • All passengers will sanitize their hands before entering and after exiting the vehicle.

During High Community Levels:

  • Campers will wear a face mask while in a vehicle.
Meals
Meals

During Low and Medium Community Levels:

Meals are a time when face masks cannot be worn, and multiple programs may be in a shared space.

  • Face masks optional when not eating.
  • Programs will be encouraged to eat outdoors.
  • Campers will eat at tables designated for their group.
  • Day campers at West River must provide their own lunch.

During High Community Levels:

  • Face masks will be required when not eating.
  • Whenever possible, meals will be eaten outdoors.
  • If meals must be eaten indoors programs/cohorts will eat in a designated indoor space.
  • If meals must be eaten indoors in a shared space, mealtimes may be staggered to allow for adequate physical distancing between cohorts.
  • Indoor meals will follow county indoor dining restrictions.
  • Day campers at West River must provide their own lunch.
Response to Suspected/Confirmed Case of Covid-19
Response to Suspected/Confirmed Case of COVID-19

For all community levels: Low, Medium, and High

In the event of a suspected case of COVID-19:

  • The ill person will be immediately isolated, and the nurse will take over care.
  • Any person caring for an ill person will don additional PPE.
  • If a camper, the parent/guardian will be notified as soon as possible, and arrangements made for the camper to be picked up from camp.
  • The ill individual will be asked to get a COVID-19 test as soon as possible and report the results to the camp. We will NOT administer COVID-19 tests to campers on site.
  • Ill volunteers and staff will take a COVID-19 test on site. If they test positive, they will leave camp as soon as possible or will isolate in a designated area.  If they test negative, they may continue in their role but will need to mask and will take a COVID test every other day for the remainder of the session.

If the ill person receives a positive COVID-19 test:

  • Parents/guardians of any camper who is determined to have been in close contact or in the same cohort with the ill person will be notified.
  • We will follow CDC recommendations on quarantine and isolation for campers, staff, and volunteers who were a close contact (within 6 feet of the individual for a total of 15 minutes or more in a 24-hour period) with an ill individual.
    • If a close contact is not up to date on their vaccination, campers and volunteers will leave camp as soon as possible. Staff will either leave site or quarantine in a designated area.
    • Campers, volunteers, and staff who are a close contact but are up to date on their vaccination will be able to stay at camp but will need to wear a face mask for the remainder of the camp program.
  • All close contacts will be advised to get a COVID test 5 days after the exposure or if they develop symptoms.
  • Additional programs and even other weeks of camp may be impacted by positive COVID-19 case(s) due to enhanced sanitation needs and camp staff effected.

For Manidokan Site Specific

For site specific changes for Camp Manidokan in Washington County, click here.

For West River Site Specific

For site specific changes for West River Center in Anne Arundel County, click here.