Your safety and the safety of all our members, volunteers, and employees is the Grand Canyon Council’s top priority. While there is still some uncertainty regarding COVID 19, we are monitoring the information provided by health experts and government agencies to help keep safe those who choose to come to camp.
First, our Council Staff and Health Supervisor are coordinating with state and local health departments to ensure we are informed of and comply with their guidance to maximize health and safety of all participants.
Our camp health plan includes:
- Pre-attendance education
- Voluntary isolation 14-days prior to arrival
- Health screening conducted by your unit leadership prior to travel to our camp, including a temperature check.
- Health screening upon your arrival at camp conducted by our camp health officers, which will also include a temperature check.
- Note: should anyone in the unit not pass the arrival screening, the entire unit will not be allowed to enter camp.
- Daily Health Screening before breakfast.
- Limitations on visitors in camp.
- We highly discourage family visitors
- Only participants and vendors will be admitted into the camp
- All visitors are required to call the camp office to schedule an arrival time and pre-check appointment to be conducted upon arrival and before entry into camp.
- Health Officer will focus on hygiene while at camp.
- Extra hand washing/sanitizer stations throughout camp.
- Dedicated staff to clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces and shared program equipment.
- An enhanced emergency response plan that includes an isolation and quarantine protocol should a person at camp develop symptoms of COVID-19 or other communicable disease.
These precautions are important, but these efforts cannot completely eliminate exposure to all viral or other illness-causing factors while at camp. Many people who contract viral illnesses may be asymptomatic, but can still spread their illness. It is possible that someone carrying a viral infection but exhibiting no outward symptoms could pass the required health screenings and be allowed into camp.
We also know the very nature of camp makes social distancing difficult in many situations and impossible in others. We will do our best to mitigate opportunities for the spread of any disease between participants and staff.
While individuals who contract viral infections may be asymptomatic (don’t show any signs of being sick). Some will exhibit the following symptoms:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fever
- Chills
- Muscle pain
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness. This list is not all inclusive. Other less common symptoms have been reported, including gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea and even death.
Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. If you are in this group, please ensure you have approval from your healthcare provider prior to attending camp.
Every staff member, volunteer, and Scouting family has to evaluate their unique circumstances and make an informed decision before attending camp. We hope this information will be helpful as you make that choice.