High Flyers Gymnastics COVID-19 Guidance: Summer Camp Protocols

During the COVID-19 outbreak, we all need to do our part to keep workers, customers, participants and the public safe and healthy so we can stop the spread and prepare to reopen the province, when we are ready.

Summer camps are required to follow all existing worker health and safety requirements as outline in the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations, public health requirements as directed by the local medical officer of health, and other relevant requirements as outlined in policies and guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.

Plans must also be in place to respond should any staff, camp participant, or parents/guardians be exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19.

Requirements for Health and Safety

  1. Ensure all current infection prevention and control practices are adhered to. This includes, but is not limited to:
    • Ensure all toys/equipment used at the summer camp are made of materials that can be cleaned/ disinfected or are single use and are disposed of at the end of the day.
    • Minimize sharing and frequency of touching objects/toys/equipment/surfaces and other personal items.
    • Increase frequency of cleaning/disinfecting objects, toys, equipment and frequently touched items.
    • Cleaning/disinfecting at least twice a day frequently touched surfaces. These surfaces are mostly likely to become contaminated, including doorknobs, light switches, toilets and faucet handles, electronic devices.
    • Only using cleaning/disinfecting products that have drug identification number. Low level hospital grade disinfectants may be used.
    • Checking expire dates of cleaning/disinfectant products used and always following the manufacturer’s instructions. Ensure that the product used are compatible with the item to be cleaned and disinfected.
    • Performing and promoting frequent, proper hand hygiene. Hand washing using soap and water is recommended over alcohol-based hand rub for children.
    • Incorporating additional hand hygiene opportunities into the daily schedule. This may be needed in instances where toileting and assistance with activities of daily living are provided to camp participants.
  2. Encouraging physical distancing of at least 2 metres between camp participants, parents/guardians and staff by:
    • Spreading camp participants out into different areas
    • Spreading furniture, camp equipment, and activity stations out into different areas
    • Using visual cues
    • Staggering/alternating lunchtime and playtime to reduce number of individuals in lunch area
    • Incorporating more individual activities that encourage more space between camp participants
    • Using telephone or video conferencing when possible for meetings between staff and parents/guardians
  3. Operate programs in consistent cohorts of no more than 10 individuals including staff and camp participants who stay together throughout the duration of the program for minimum 7 days, with the following consideration:
    • While close contact may be unavoidable between members of a cohort, physical distancing and general infection prevention and control practices should still be encouraged, where possible
    • Face coverings should be used if physical distancing of at least 2 metres cannot be maintained between cohorts
      1. Face coverings may not be tolerated by everyone based on underlying health, behaviour issues or beliefs. Consideration should be given to mitigating any possible physical and psychological injuries that may inadvertently be caused by wearing a face covering
      2. Face coverings should be changed if visibly soiled, damp, or damaged
      3. Education must be provided about the safe use, and proper care of face coverings
    • Cohorts cannot mix with other cohorts or be within the same room/space at the same time, including pick-ups and drop-offs, mealtimes, playtime, outdoor activities, program spaces, tents, staff areas/rooms etc.
    • Programs that utilize a room/space that is shared by cohorts or has other user groups must ensure the space. A cleaning log must be posted and used to track cleaning
    • Each cohort should have designated equipment or clean/disinfect equipment between cohort uses
    • Personal belongings brought to camp should be minimized. If brought to camp, personal items should be labeled and kept in an area designated for the individuals cohort and should not be handled by individuals from other cohorts
    • Camp participants should bring their own sun protection, and this should not be shares
    • In shared outdoor spaces, cohorts must maintain a distance of at least 2 metres between groups and any other individuals outside of the cohort
    • Play structures can only be used by one cohort at a time and must be cleaned and disinfected before and after used by each cohort
    • Plans should be made to prevent mixing of cohorts in washrooms/change rooms and to frequently clean and disinfect shared surfaces in washrooms/change rooms
  1. Avoid getting close to faces of camp participants where possible
  2. Avoid singing activities indoors and ensure physical distancing for singing activities outdoors
  3. Do not use water or sensory tables
  4. Do not plan field trips and activities requiring group transportation
  5. Aquatic activities must adhere to regulated requirements as well as to municipal guidance and restrictions at the time of activity
  6. Do not plan activities with exposure to animals or pets
  7. Do not plan activities that involve camp participants in preparing or serving food
  8. If meals or snacks are provided by the program or brought by the camp participant
    • Ensure camp participants and staff perform proper hand hygiene before and after eating
    • Ensure each camp participant has their own drink bottle that is labeled , kept with them during the day, and not shared
    • Fill water bottles rather than drink directly from the mouthpiece of water fountain
    • Ensure each camp participant has their own individual meal or snack with no common food items
    • Remove self-serving food item and open access dishwasher
    • Multi-use utensils must be cleaned after each use
    • Reinforce “NO FOOD SHARING” policies and
    • Physical distance should be maintained while eating
  9. Pick-up and drop-off of camp participants should happen outside the program setting unless it is determined that there is a need for the parent/guardian to enter the setting.
  10. Pick-up and drop-off procedures should physical distance and cohorting using strategies such as, but not limited to avoiding group transportation, separate cohort entrances, having one designated parent/guardian pick-up and drop-off each camp participant, staggering entry, or limiting the numbers of people in entry areas.

Screening

  1. All individuals such as camp participants, parents, staff, and visitors must be screened including daily temperature checks prior to arrival or upon arrival at program prior to entry. Deny entry individuals who has any of the symptoms outlined in the COVID-19 Reference Document for Symptoms on the website or who has come in close contact with a person with symptoms of or confirmed in the past 14 days.
  2. Where possible daily screening should be done electronically prior to arrival at camp. If screening is done at the camp setting screeners should take appropriate precautions when screening, being separated by a physical barrier or wearing personal protective equipment.
  3. Alcohol based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol content should be placed at all screening stations and entrances to the program. Dispensers should not be in locations accessed by young children.
  4. Summer day camps have a duty to report suspected or confirmed cases COVID-19 under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. The program should contact their local public health unit to report a camp participant suspected to have COVID-19.  The local public health unit will provide specific advice on what control measures should be implemented to prevent the potential spread and how to monitor for other possible infected staff member and camp participants.
  5. Thermometers must not be used between camp participants/staff without single use protective covers or disinfecting between use
  6. Do no permit camp participants who are ill to attend the program. Signs should be posted at screening stations and entrances to the program to remind staff, parents/guardians, and other visitors.
  7. Programs must have protocols in place to notify parents/guardians if their camp participant begins to show symptoms of COVID-19 while in camp including the need for immediate pick-up and an area to isolate the camp participant until pick-up
  8. Programs must keep daily records of anyone entering the programs setting who stays for 15 min or longer. Records must be kept up to date and available to facilitate contact tracing in the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case or outbreak.

Management of Camp Participant with Suspected COVID-19

  1. If a camp participant begins to experience symptoms of COVID-19 while attending day camp it is recommended that:
    • Symptomatic camp participants be immediately separated from others in a supervised area until they go home. In addition, where possible, anyone who is providing care to the camp participant should maintain a distance of at least 2 metres
    • If a 2 metres distance cannot be maintained from the ill camp participant, advice from the local public health unit will be necessary to prevent/limit virus transmission to those providing care
    • Contact the local public health unit to notify of a potential case, seek advice regarding the information that should be shared with other parents of camp participants in the program
    • While contacting the public health unit at a minimum the camp participant and staff member should wear a surgical/procedure mask and the staff member should also wear eye protection
    • Camp participant should be reminded of hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette while waiting to be picked up. Tissues should be provided to the camp participant to support proper respiratory etiquette along with proper disposal of the tissue
    • Environment cleaning/disinfecting of the space and items used by the camp should be conducted once the camp participant has been picked up. Items that cannot cleaned and disinfected should be removed from the program and stored in a sealed container for a minimum of 7 days
    • Camp participants with symptoms should be tested
    • Other camp participants and staff who were present while a camp participant or staff member become ill should be identified as a close contact and further cohort until they can be picked up by parents/guardians to self-isolate at home. The local public health unit will provide any further direction on testing and isolation of these close contacts.
    • Camp participants or staff who have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 should be excluded from the program setting for 14 days

Testing for COVID-19

  1. Symptomatic staff and camp participants should be referred for testing. Testing of asymptomatic persons should only be performed as directed by the local public health unit as part of case/contact and outbreak management.  A list of symptoms, including atypical signs and symptoms can be also be found in the COVID-19 Reference Document for Symptoms on the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 website
    • Those who test negative for COVID-19 must be excluded from the program until 24 hours after symptom resolution. If a symptomatic person receives a negative result a repeat test within 24 hours can be considered if clinical suspicion is high
    • Those who test positive for COVID-19 must be excluded from the program for 14 days after the onset of symptoms and clearance has been received from the local public health unit
  2. Day camps must consider a single, symptomatic, laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19 in a staff member or camp participant as a confirmed COVID-19 outbreak in local public health unit. Outbreaks should be declared in collaboration between the program and the local public health unit to ensure an outbreak number is provided.
  3. Camp participant or staff who have been in contact with a suspected COVID-19 case should be monitored for symptoms and further cohorted until laboratory tests, if any, have been completed or until directed by the local public health unit
  4. Staff members and camp participants awaiting test results should be excluded from camp

Occupational Health and Safety

  1. Employers must have written measures and procedures for staff safety including for infection prevention and control. Detailed guidelines for COVID-19 are available on the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19
  2. If a staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19 the staff member must remain off work for 14 days following symptom onset and has received clearance from the local public health unit
  3. If a staff member is a close contact of an individual diagnosed with COVID-19 the staff member must remain off work for 14 days from last exposure
  4. The staff member should consult with the local public health unit to determine when they can return to work. Staff members should also report to their Employee Health/Occupational Health and Safety department prior to return to work
  5. If the staff members illness is determined to be work related in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations the employer must provide a written notice within four days of being advised that a staff member has an occupational illness, including an occupational acquired infection or if a claim has been made to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board by or on behalf of the staff member with respect to an occupational illness including an occupational infection to the
    • Ministry of Labour Training and Skills Development
    • Joint health and safety committee and
    • Trade union if any
  6. Any instances of occupationally acquired infection shall be reported to WSIB within 72 hours of receiving notification of said illness.