Summer is here and WAWA is excited to host in-person events at the Outdoor Activity Center. We reviewed the recommendations of city, state and national officials, we met with WAWA community members for input, and we are confident that we can provide in-person events that will keep visitors healthy and safe.
In addition to WAWA’s general protocols for hosting summer camp (and events), we will be taking the following precautions to prevent exposure to COVID-19. The following precautions have been informed by the CDC’s “Suggestions for Youth and Summer Camps” and “Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open”.
Preparation/ Pre-Screening
We recommend that families planning to participate in in-person programming review the CDC’s “Suggestions for Youth and Summer Camps” and “Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open”.
In the weeks leading up to camp, we ask that families conduct pre-screening practices to prevent the exposure of COVID-19. There are a few things you can do prior to camp week.
Monitor your youth and household’s health conditions. Check for fevers, coughs, fatigue and other signals of below average health.
Limit travel and social interactions with people outside of your household to limit variables that may increase the possibility of exposure.
Only sign up youth that are local to the Atlanta Metropolitan area.
Each day prior to commuting to camp, complete a temperature check on your youth. If their temperature is higher than 99, he or she should remain at home and not return prior to consulting with a pediatrician AND 10 days after the fevers and symptoms have subsided.
You should not bring your youth to camp if they (or a family member) has become sick with COVID-19 symptoms, test positive for COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone with symptoms or a confirmed/suspected case. Staff will follow the same protocol if they become sick with COVID-19 symptoms, test positive for COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone with symptoms or a confirmed/suspected case.
Pack the necessary items for camp to keep your youth and others safe. In addition to the general required items for camp (packed lunch, snack, bug spray, reusable water bottle, and sunscreen), youth will also need to bring a personal bottle of hand sanitizer and a face covering. Face coverings will be used in most essential times such as indoors when physical distancing is difficult.
Drop off /Pick Up
Upon arrival onsite, WAWA will greet families on the porch and conduct a no-touch temperature check and a verbal health screening with each family prior to signing in. If the youth is experiencing any of the following, they will not be admitted into the camp and will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test or have been fever and fever medication free for 72 hours, other symptoms have improved, and/or it has been 10 days since the symptoms first appeared.
Youth with symptoms including: chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell will not be admitted to camp.
Group Dynamics
Youth will be reminded verbally and via signage that we are still in a health pandemic, and are executing safe practices. This will be shared when using the bathroom, preparing to eat, and playing among each other. Youth will be reminded to wash their hands thoroughly, keep their hands off of their face, and refrain from touching others.
Activities will be limited to the outdoors as much as feasible. We will have an outdoor canopy set up for activities when light rain occurs, and we will limit the time spent indoors to thunderstorms and heavy rain.
Bathroom breaks will be conducted with one youth at a time.
We will limit individual time spent indoors to the bathroom, first aid, and emergencies.
There will be no sharing of objects. We will provide enough supplies for each youth to have their own supplies for activities, and following the use of the object, we will sanitize the items before another use.
The camp size will consist of 6 campers, 2 counselors in training, and 2 educators.
Lunch will take place outside at the large picnic tables. Campers are required to bring their own lunch, snacks, and reusable water bottles daily, with all such food items being in a sealed lunch bag marked with the camper’s name. Youth will not be allowed to share lunches.
All campers will be provided a separate designated space to store personal belongings throughout the duration of the camp.
Sanitizing/ Disinfecting
In addition to cleaning surfaces and objects as needed, WAWA will have two designated times during the day to sanitize and disinfect.
Signage will be placed within the building and outdoors to remind youth to wash their hands thoroughly, keep their hands off of their face, and refrain from touching others.
A hand-sanitizing station will be placed in the outdoor canopy space and another in the multipurpose room for easy access to disinfecting supplies.
Handwashing will be required between events especially, when eating or using supplies..
Educators will sanitize frequently touched surfaces throughout the day including a designated AM and PM sanitizing
COVID-19 SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF ILLNESS
If a youth or a staff member shows signs of COVID-19, they will be separated from the group immediately and will be required to leave the Outdoor Activity Center as soon as possible. We will put the person showing signs of COVID-19 in a designated area until they leave the premises. Areas used by the person will be closed and properly cleaned based on the CDC guidelines. Local health officials, staff, and families will be notified immediately while maintaining confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
We will isolate those who become sick. Consistent with applicable law and privacy policies, we request that staff and families self-report to the camp administrators if they have symptoms of COVID-19, a positive test for COVID-19, or were exposed to someone with COVID-19 within the last 14 days in accordance with health information sharing regulations for COVID-19.
We will immediately separate staff and campers with COVID-19 symptoms (such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath) in a designated space until they can leave the premises. Individuals who are sick should be cared for following CDC guidance for caring for yourself or others who are sick.
We will assist local public health agencies with their contact tracing monitoring systems to assist in the case of investigations of youth. We will Implement data management and technology tools to assist in case investigations.