Covid Information
Summer 2022
(Updated 5/24/22)
Here is an update on our COVID protocols for summer 2022.First, we are heartened how COVID has mutated to a less pathogenic disease, but we are still cautious due to its increased transmissibility. Obviously, the health and safety of our campers and staff are our chief concern. Our protocols are written with the goals in mind of protecting everyone's health but also of minimizing disruption to your camper's experience and to the running of our program. Many families are now less concerned for their own personal health and safety if infected with the most recent COVID variant. At Camp, however, even an asymptomatic case that spreads to our campers and staff could lead to a serious disruption of our program. For this reason, we decided to implement a system that includes COVID testing both before and during camp, "cohorting," continued enhanced sanitation at Camp, and a procedure for isolation and potential return to home of campers who test positive. Keep in mind, that if circumstances change, so may our protocols.
It has been our long standing policy to require that all campers and staff be vaccinated. But we want to provide you with more details on how you'll check in, what in addition to vaccination we are doing to reduce the risk that anyone will bring COVID into Camp, and how we will handle anyone who gets COVID. We've arrived on these protocols chiefly by relying on recommendations by CDC, but also on other resources such as the state and local health departments and the American Camp Association.
COVID Testing
Here is the regimen of testing we are implementing:
1. Test 1: Campers will take a proctored rapid antigen test the day before arriving at Camp and email the results to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please be prepared to show the results upon arrival at Camp as well. We also suggest, though are not requiring, that you consider additional testing 2 or 3 days before arriving at Camp and limit your camper's exposure to groups of people in the week before arriving at Camp. The rapid antigen test your camper will take the day before arriving at Camp must meet the same requirements as if you were traveling internationally and needed a test to return to the U.S. An easy and relatively inexpensive test ($70 for two tests) that you can administer at home is made by eMed. Your camper can take the test that is "proctored" (viewed by a clinician) through the camera on your phone or computer. The whole process takes 20-30 minutes. (Camp does not receive any commission for this referral.) Or, you can purchase another at-home test (but it must be proctored) or go to a clinic. We highly recommend that you order your test kit now or make an appointment at a testing clinic now.
2. Test 2: The Camp will administer a rapid antigen test upon your camper's arrival at Camp or upon bus or airport pickup.
3. Test 3: The Camp will administer a rapid antigen test Day 2 of your camper's session.
4. Test 4: The Camp will administer a rapid antigen test Day 5 of your camper's session.
2. Test 2: The Camp will administer a rapid antigen test upon your camper's arrival at Camp or upon bus or airport pickup.
3. Test 3: The Camp will administer a rapid antigen test Day 2 of your camper's session.
4. Test 4: The Camp will administer a rapid antigen test Day 5 of your camper's session.
The Camp will also test upon any symptomatic presentation assessed by our nurse to be potentially related to a COVID infection.
Serial rapid antigen tests are highly effective in uncovering an infection. Though we are hopeful that the at-home test will catch any cases before a camper arrives at Camp, the additional at-Camp tests were determined to give a high likelihood of catching any false negatives or last-minute exposures before arriving at Camp.
Cohorting
"Cohorting" is simply keeping campers in smaller groups to prevent the spread of any unlikely infections that slip by the first two tests. We will, as has been our practice even in normal years, have campers stay with their bunk groups for all purposes -- eating, sleeping and activities -- the first two days of a session. This is a time when campers play get-to-know-you games, participate in fun team-building exercises, and participate in another activity of the bunk's choosing. Starting on Day 3 of a session, we will proceed with our normal activity scheduling allowing campers from different bunks to participate in the same activity.
What Happens If My Child Tests Positive?
If your child tests positive at home before arriving at Camp, your child will stay home until he/she tests negative and then they will be welcome to join their session in progress. Any COVID infection is private information that will be shared with our staff only on a need-to-know basis. Over the years we've operated Camp, we have had campers join sessions after missing the first couple of days for a variety of reasons. We understand that while this is not ideal, we will do all we can to make them feel welcome and fit in with their new bunk friends.
If your child tests positive upon check-in at Camp, we'll ask you to take them home. Again, they are welcome to return to their session once they test negative.
Similarly, for those of you taking advantage of our bus transportation, your child will be tested before boarding the bus. If they test positive, we'll ask that you take them home. If your child is arriving by plane, he or she will be tested after deplaning but before boarding the van that will take others to Camp. If they test positive after deplaning, we'll arrange special transportation to Camp separate from other campers who tested negative. We'll set your camper up in our "VIP" tent that is isolated from the rest of Camp and we'll get in touch with you to discuss whether a return home or a period of isolation at Camp is most appropriate.
If your child tests positive after check-in day, they will immediately be moved to our "VIP" tent and we'll get in touch with you to decide on a plan of action. If you want to pick your child up, that of course is an option. However, depending on a number of circumstances including but not limited to: the severity of symptoms, the number of people who test positive, our ability to care for your child, and Health Department recommendations, we may be able to quarantine your child at Camp until they test negative or up to a total of 5 days. If your child continues to test positive on Day 5, we'll ask you to pick them up that day.
Our VIP tent will be separated from other cabins. Our VIP guests will be restricted to the tent and to outdoor areas that are sufficiently distanced from other campers. They will have their own bathroom and meals will be brought to them. Our nurse will check in with them periodically, and we'll assign a staff member to supervise them. We understand that this will be a different experience than participating in all the regular Camp activities but may be preferable to a trip home. This will be part of our discussion with you should the situation arise for your child.
Check-In Procedure
Because testing at Camp and check-in will consume more time than in years past, and to minimize long wait times, we will send you an email with a check-in time for your camper and your camper's bunk mates. If you arrive more than 45 minutes past your check-in time, we'll do our best to check you in during the next hour, if and when time allows. If you already know that you're unable to arrive at the allotted time, please contact us to make alternative arrangements as soon as possible. If we don't hear from you ahead of time, we can't guarantee that we'll be able to process the change.
As for the actual check-in process, you'll be greeted by a member of our staff as you turn off Highway 49 onto our entrance road. Your greeter will let you know when you may proceed to the upper parking lot to begin the check-in.
As with last year, we ask that you stay in or near your car. Once again, we will be unable to provide a tour of Camp upon arrival, though we hope to offer a tour at the end of the session. We will administer the rapid antigen test while you and your camper are in your car. Once a negative test is returned, we'll continue the check-in process, which includes making sure forms are in order, a lice check, and check for signs of any other infectious disease.
If your child goes home after testing positive for COVID, they will be welcome back to their session upon receiving a negative test. Because we are full, it is unlikely that we will have space in a later session.
Communication
As noted above, if your child tests positive, we will inform you as soon a possible. If another camper or staff member tests positive, we will inform you of that fact and whether or not the person is part of your camper's bunk or was in an activity with your child the day of or the day before testing. For privacy, we will not share any personally identifiable information of the positive person unless that person is your child.
Tuition Insurance
If you'd haven't yet purchased tuition insurance and would like to do that now, please reach out to TravMark.com, Trawick.com, or you can shop for other insurance options at SquareMouth.com. We can't recommend one insurance company over another, so please make sure that you are still eligible to buy insurance at this point in time and that the insurance will cover you for a cancellation before your session starts or while your camper is in session due to COVID (and any other concerns you may have). Please read through all terms and conditions carefully. Camp does not refund tuition if your camper has to cancel or leave Camp early. Please see our Refund Policy page. (Because we are not involved in buying or selling insurance, we don't know which families purchased tuition insurance. We are unable to help you determine if you bought the insurance.)
Thank You
Again, our goal is to provide a healthy, safe and fun experience for everyone. Thank you for partnering with us to minimize any risk of exposure to campers and our camp community. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.