Preliminary COVID Plan - The Southwoods Way
Spring 2021
The goal of creating a "bubble" is to limit the amount of people coming in and out of camp. Our campers will enjoy the activities and opportunities on our camp property without interacting with the community outside of camp. There will likely be no out-of-camp day trips, intercamp games and off-site camping trips. We will run an incredibly fun and instructional program and camp will feel very much the same. Special events and traditions will happen as they always have! If conditions this spring improve significantly, we will consider limited and contained off camp outdoor adventure trips. These and other measures will allow us to be protected and safe.
Our camp planning has coach buses booked for camper travel to and from camp this summer. We will continue to monitor NY State health and safety protocol in regard to travel. Parent drop-off remains an option with additional guidance. We will look to finalize all of this in the spring or as soon as we possibly can.
At this time, we believe it is unlikely we could gather all together for a traditional parents' day. As we get closer to the summer, we will have a better understanding if this day can be modified to meet health and safety regulations. If we are not able to host an in-person Parents' Day we will endeavor to create opportunities for your child to share their camp experiences and meet their counselors.
We feel very fortunate to have doctors and nurses residing on premises 24/7. They work tirelessly to provide our campers and staff with unwavering care each and every day. Our experienced Safe Haven team is led by a group of returning doctors; Dr. Matt Bludorn, Dr. Victoria Adewunmi and Dr. Susan Albow, all experienced Emergency Room doctors that have spent many years with us at Southwoods. They are current and familiar with the necessary COVID-19 safety protocols needed to run our program safely. Our medical team is committed, diligent and are an invaluable resource of information as we determine our health protocols and operation plan for this summer.
We will partner with our families and staff to ensure that everyone entering camp has been extremely careful in the days/weeks prior to arrival. We ask that there be no trips or situations where campers or family members are in large groups of people or risk unnecessary exposure. Protocols and timelines will be laid out as we get closer to the summer. Most of our staff will arrive to camp weeks before our campers and will also be expected to be vigilant in their connections outside of home and school in June, especially the ten days preceding their orientation. Each camper will complete a PCR COVID 19 test approximately 2-5 days prior to departing for camp and submit proof of negative results to camp. We will provide more information on this in future communications.
The most important philosophy that we have adopted to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19 is "Outside, Masked & Distanced". Campers will spend time outside as much as possible, social distance from those not in their pod and wear masks when social distancing is not possible. Each bunk/pod will be considered "a family". When a cabin is at an activity as a group or in their own cabin, we expect that masks will not be required. Additionally, our protocol will include daily wellness screenings, temperature checks, mask use when inside non-bunk communal buildings, and regular outdoor dining.
We believe accurate and frequent COVID-19 testing will be elemental in running a healthy camp this summer, both in the lead up to opening day and throughout the summer. Our testing plan and daily symptom checks will be rigorous and be designed in accordance with the best medical advice available. We will continue to seek information and best practice from medical experts in the field, the CDC, the NYS DOH and the American Camp Association. Covid-19 testing is evolving rapidly but our initial plan is as follows:
Test #1: At-Home PCR Test 3-5 Days Prior To Camp and then "Be Extra, Extra Careful"
Test #2: PCR/Rapid Testing upon arrival
Test #3: PCR test (approximately 6 to 7 days into camp)
Test #1: At-Home PCR Test 3-5 Days Prior To Camp and then "Be Extra, Extra Careful"
Test #2: PCR/Rapid Testing upon arrival
Test #3: PCR test (approximately 6 to 7 days into camp)
If a child tests positive prior to camp, they would be unable to come to camp until they isolate for 7-14 days, register a negative test and are cleared by the home and camp physicians.
If a child tests rapid-positive upon arrival at camp, they would be quarantined until we receive results from the at-camp PCR Test. If that test is positive, they will remain in isolation and must be picked up from camp within 24-36 hours. We feel that living at camp for 10 to 14 days, if positive, would be too difficult on the sick camper, and not in the best interest of our other campers and staff. If a child tests positive on Day #6, they too would be isolated and must be picked up from camp within 24-36 hours. In all situations we will follow all NYS health dept. and CDC guidelines and policies.
If a bunkmate tests positive, we will create a quarantine pod out of the remainder of the bunk. We would continue to test to ensure that each child and staff person is healthy. We also will do contact tracing and testing for anyone who was exposed to that positive camper. Protocols outlined by CDC, NYS DOH and the American Camp Association will be followed.
Cabins and all common indoor areas will be cleaned and sanitized throughout the day with approved for COVID-19 use (EPA-registered hospital-grade) disinfectant. Hand sanitizer stations will be located around campus, including all activity areas and buildings.
Additionally, hand washing will be required before and after every meal and encouraged throughout the day. Our kitchen, dining hall and outdoor dining facilities will be disinfected after every meal and our housekeeping team will clean all cabin and facility bathrooms, common spaces, and high-touch surfaces throughout the day.
The food will be the same delicious Southwoods menu you have come to expect. Instead of family style and self-serve buffet lines, we will have staff-served food stations. We will utilize outdoor dining whenever possible. When outdoor dining is not available, tables will be spread out in the dining room to allow for social distancing.
We will be sending an email with time sensitive forms in the coming weeks such as medical forms and camper medication forms. Additional forms such as transportation and baggage will be available closer to camp, as NY state and health policies become available. We will send our parent handbook in the spring as we finalize plans for Summer 2021.