Hosting Retreat Groups in a Covid World
Fall/Winter 2022
Wrapping up summer camp and moving into retreat season, Covid-19 continues to have an impact on our staff and guests. Navigating user groups may present challenges different than typical summer camps healthcare concerns. Intentional planning and communication with your user group will go a long ways to keep your guests and staff healthy.
Adult or guest groups hosting may be licensed differently than summer camps in your state, typically requiring less paperwork and health information (immunization documentation, physicians exam, health history from parents etc.) Knowledge about your state and local requirements is the place to start, and communicating with your state and local health department about their Covid-19 and communicable disease guidance. Work with your camp leadership team to create a plan for communicable disease management that works for your location, staffing structure and camp culture. Clearly communicate that plan to group leaders before their retreat or stay.
Knowing the group you are hosting is a good start, and making a plan that consists of NPI’s the group will be willing to partner on with you. Activities such as:
- Requesting that guests arrive healthy, rested and hydrated
- Know what information your state/local health department may require if you have a Covid outbreak. Typically the individuals name, date of birth and vaccination status are required when reporting to the state or local Covid-19 outbreak team.
- Ventilation: moving as many activities and meals outside as possible
- Sleeping areas: the smallest number of people per sleeping area, heads a minimum of 6 feet apart, open windows and doors as much as possible
- Hand hygiene: Seriously good hand washing. Suggest that the group make time in their schedule for hand washing before meals, and be sure you provide a convenient place for hand washing
- Sanitizing routines that are posted and followed. Clarify who is sanitizing, the camp staff or guest group?
- Have a plan for symptomatic guests, and clearly communicate that plan to guests before they arrive. Your state or local health department may require testing symptomatic people, and expect that you may need to report covid positive tested individuals to the state or local health department. Expect state or local guidance for symptomatic, Covid positive individuals (they must be quarantined or sent home) and have a plan for how you quarantine positive individuals.
- If you have a Covid positive individual, know how that affects the rest of the group, who will need to be tested. Plan for how you communicate to the rest of the group (does the camp do the communicating? Or the guest group leader?) Include in your plan what you will do if an individual refuses to be tested.
- Ensure that you have adequate PPE on site. If you require masking indoors, consider having adequate masks to provide to guests.
- Having test kits on site will make it easy to test symptomatic individuals if that if part of your plan. Know reporting requirements. If your state requires a CLIA waiver for test kits, be sure you have a current CLIA waiver in place.
We have the knowledge to minimize the impact of Covid-19 on our guests and staff, having a plan in place and clearly communicating that to your guest groups will go far in keeping your camp healthy, and it will be much less hassle if you have an outbreak.
