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YMCA Camp Sloper COVID-19 Procedures

Updated: 6/18/2021

Letter from the Director

Thank you for choosing YMCA Camp Sloper for your child’s summer camp experience. We look forward to providing your child with a memorable summer, filled with fun, adventure and learning, all while in a safe and positive environment.

We have been working with local and state health departments, Office of Early Childhood, American Camping Association, and YMCA of the USA to make your child’s camp experience safe and fun, as in years past.

Following is a summary of some of the changes to day camp program at YMCA Camp Sloper for the summer of 2021, based on the requirements from the Office of Early Childhood. These decisions will help us do our best to minimize risk of exposure to COVID-19 at YMCA Camp Sloper. These solutions do not completely eliminate risk however. If you are sending your child to YMCA Camp Sloper, there is a risk of exposure to COVID-19, the same way there is a risk of going to public places with others.

Thank you for understanding these changes. We appreciate and care about all of our Sloper families, and our goal is to try our best to run a safe, fun, program for your campers in 2021.

Slopefully Yours,

 

Justin Hubeny                           Tom Sangeloty 

Camp Director                           Assistant Camp Director

______________________________________________________________________

Summary of Guidelines and Changes for 2021

Here is what IS changing for this summer:

  • Start Date: Camp will begin on June 21, 2021 for Preview Week; Registration for our Preview Week – June 21 to June 25 is now open.
  • Social Distancing: Each Camp group (campers and counselor) should remain 6 feet away from other groups as best as possible at camp based on State Recommendations. Campers may be required to wear masks if they cannot stay 6 feet apart. Cohorts should be maintained as best as possible. If cohorts are combined staff should keep record as to aid in contact tracing if needed.
  • Transportation: There will be bus transportation this year to transport campers to and from camp. Campers will have assigned seating on the bus for contact tracing purposes, and all campers and staff on bus must wear masks while riding the bus per State Recommendations.
  • Before and After Care: There will be Before AM or After PM Care this summer, these campers will be in a different cohort during the day camp portion.
  • Camp Hours: The hours of operations for 2021 will be 9am-3pm. Before Camp Care (6:30am9am) and After Camp Care (3pm-5:30pm) is available.
  • Sick Campers and Staff: We will ask all sick campers and staff to abide by the following:
  • Staying home with temperatures over 100 degrees.
  • Follow our safety protocols for campers and staff if someone in the camp group tests positive for COVID-19. 
  • Face Masks: YCS staff and campers will NOT need to wear masks when outdoors. However, staff and campers will have to wear a mask when indoors, and when 6 feet distance to other groups cannot be maintained. Campers and staff will have to wear masks when riding the bus to and from camp. Please send your child to camp with a minimum of 2 facemasks per day!
  • Field Trips and After Camp Events: Unfortunately, there will be NO family nights, teen nights, family overnights, and field trips for the summer of 2021.
  • Rainy Days: Camp will operate on rainy days with showers or light rain; please be prepared that you camper may get a little wet and dress them appropriately. There may be a need to cancel camp for the day on severe weather days due to the limited options for social distancing and overall safety of the camp community. If camp is canceled for the day, we will give as much notice as possible and a YMCA credit will be received for the day.
  • Swimming: We are able to swim in the pond this summer. For some of the larger units, your camper may not be swimming every day due to social distancing guidelines; it will be every other day. On days that traditional campers are unable to swim there will be alternative water activities.

Here is what IS NOT changing for this summer:

  • Positive Role Models: Our YCS Staff are here to provide the fun, adventure, and tradition for your campers like in past years.
  • Being Outside: Your camper will be able to learn new skills, make long lasting memories, and play outside.
  • Less Screen Time: Campers will be able to get away from screens and devices and be a kid!
  • Campers Being Active: Campers will get the opportunity to be physically active in fun and engaging activities
  • Meeting New Friends: YMCA Camp Sloper gives campers the opportunity to connect with old friends and meet new friends!
  • Fun Activities: Campers will get to experience a variety of outdoor activities and try new activities that they would likely not get to try outside of camp.
  • Learning New Skills: Campers have the chance to learn new skills, and challenge themselves in exciting ways.
  • Socializing with Peers: Campers will get to socialize with their peers, who some have been unable to socialize for a long time.
  • FUN: YMCA Camp Sloper may look a little different this summer but the fun, adventure, and tradition will still be here!

Symptoms

Children and adults are equally at risk for the Coronavirus, though children that have tested positive have reported milder symptoms. These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to Coronavirus:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Chills
  • Repeated shaking with chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat 
  • New loss of taste or smell

Understanding Virus Spread

Current research suggests that the virus is mainly spread through respiratory droplets. There is minimal research that shows the virus is spread though contact surfaces.

Healthy Hand Hygiene Behavior

All children, staff, and volunteers should engage in hand hygiene at the following times:

  • Before and after eating or handling food, or feeding members
  • Before and after administering medication or medical ointment
  • After using the toilet or use the bathroom
  • After coming in contact with bodily fluid
  • After playing outdoors or in sand
  • After handling garbage
  • After blowing one’s nose, coughing, or sneezing.

Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol can be used if soap and water are not readily available.

Supervise children under age 8 when they use hand sanitizer to prevent ingestion. Assist children with handwashing, including campers that cannot wash hands alone: 

  • After assisting campers with handwashing, staff should also wash their hands.
  • Place posters describing handwashing steps near sinks. Developmentally appropriate posters in multiple languages are available from CDC.

Overview of Recommendations

  • Make hand-cleaning supplies readily available.
  • Parents to keep campers home if sick.
  • Monitor absenteeism.
  • Work with your local health department for guidance on contact tracing, closures and reopenings.

At Day Camp:

  • Encourage staff and community members to protect their personal health
  • Post the signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
  • Cancel all field trips and family nights for the summer of 2021.
  • Busing is available to and from camp for the summer of 2021.
  • Before and Aftercare Programming for the summer of 2021.
  • Stay up to date on developments by your local health department.
  • Create an emergency plan for possible outbreak.

If there is an Outbreak:

  • Inform people who might have been directly exposed.
  • Continue to safely clean and disinfect the person's area.
  • Connect with your local health department and follow OEC guidelines.

Sick Camper/Staff

If a person is discovered with signs or symptoms while at the program, they will be sent home as soon as possible. Should a member show signs of illness, parents will be contacted for immediate pick-up. Ideally, a non-contact thermometer should be used to obtain temperature readings. If not available, other methods are permissible. Single use thermometers or individual plastic covers should be used on oral thermometers with each use or thermometers should be cleaned and sanitized after each use according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

The Office of Early Childcare and Local Health Department policies below

  • If a child or staff member who has been present in the program is diagnosed with Covid-19, the camp must notify families and staff of the program about the exposure.
  • Additional practices to those below may be recommended to the provider in consultation with the local health department or the CT Department of Public Health.
    • Contact your local health department or the CT Department of Public Health
    • Determine the date of the symptom onset for the child/staff member.
    • Determine if the child/staff member attended/worked at the program while symptomatic or during the two days before symptoms began.
    • Identify what days the child/staff member attended/worked during that time.
    • Determine who had close contact with the child/staff member at the program during those days (staff and other children).
    • Conduct appropriate cleaning and disinfection:
      • Close off areas used by the person who is sick.
      • Open outside doors and windows to increase air circulation in the areas.
      • Wait up to 24 hours or as long as possible before cleaning and disinfecting.
      • Clean and disinfect all areas used by the person who is sick, such as offices, bathrooms, and common areas.
      • If more than 7 days have passed since the person who is sick visited or used the facility, additional cleaning and disinfection is not necessary.
      • Continue routine cleaning and disinfection.
  • Depending on the size of the program and the number of people affected, closure of a particular room in the program (for larger programs) or the entire program might need to be considered.
  • If a camper test positive for COVID 19 they can return to camp after 10 days as long as symptoms are improved and they are fever free