Paths & Pages | Nature Camp | Covid-19

COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS

LAST UPDATED JUNE 2022

Small Group Sessions

Up to 12 kids per session
Groups remain the same for the duration of each session

Official CDC Guidelines for Private Pods: “Lowest Risk: Small groups of campers (less than 12 kids) stay together all day, each day. Sites must comply with these requirements: Child care must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer (“stable” means the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day). Children shall not change from one group to another. Groups shall not mix with each other. Child care providers shall remain solely with one group of children.”

Social Distancing

There are 30-minute windows for pick-up and drop-off & we will gather in a space away from usual park goers
We trust your family to interact with other families however feels most comfortable

Official CDC Guidelines: Campers remain at least 6 feet apart and do not share objects. Outdoor activities are prioritized. Encourage social distancing through increased spacing, small groups and staggered scheduling, arrival, and drop-off, if feasible.

Hand-Washing, Disinfecting, Supplies & Snacks

Kids are encouraged to sanitize multiple times throughout the day. This is a requirement before & after food.
Kids are not allowed to share food. Please provide your own lunch and snacks.
Shared supplies are sanitized between uses.
Van is fully cleaned and sanitized before and after each session.

Official CDC Guidelines: “Teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and increase monitoring to ensure adherence among campers and staff. If soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can be used. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces within the camp facility and in any shared vehicles at least daily or between use as much as possible. Adjust activities and procedures to limit sharing of items such as toys, belongings, supplies, and equipment. Have campers bring their own meals as feasible, and eat in separate areas or with their smaller group. Avoid sharing of food and utensils where possible”.

Face Coverings

Counselors are required to wear an approved N-95 face covering in the van
Everyone is required to wear a face covering in the van
Face coverings are NOT REQUIRED outdoors

Official CDC Guidelines: “Teach and reinforce the use of cloth face coverings. Face coverings may be challenging for campers (especially younger campers) to wear in all-day settings such as camp. Face coverings should be worn by staff and campers (particularly older campers) as feasible and are most essential in times when physical distancing is difficult”.

Monitoring, Testing & Vaccinations

Parents are expected to screen kids daily for signs & symptoms. If your child could be sick, STAY HOME!
Here is a link to our DAILY COVID-19 SYMPTOM TRACKER
We will continue to screen kids throughout the day. If your child is exhibiting symptoms during any point of camp, they will be separated from the group and you will be required to pick them up on location immediately
Counselors are tested 3x per week
While most of our community has chosen to get fully vaccinated, we will NEVER require mandatory testing or vaccinations

Official CDC Guidelines: “Persons who have a fever of 100.4 degrees or above (or other signs of illness) should not be admitted. Encourage parents to be on the alert for signs of illness in their children and to keep them home when they are sick. If feasible, implement enhanced screening for children and employees who have recently been present in areas of high transmission, including temperature checks and symptom monitoring. Encourage anyone who is sick to stay home”.

If A Tribe Member Is Sick / Tests Positive / Has Been Exposed to Covid-19

Parents are expected to screen kids daily for signs & symptoms to prevent exposure
If your child is sick, tests positive or someone you've been in contact with tests positive for Covid-19, you must inform Director immediately
You family will not be allowed to attend Paths & Pages programs until: It has been at least 10 days since symptoms first appeared AND at least 24 hours with no fever (without fever-reducing medication) AND symptoms have improved AND you receive two negative test results in a row, at least 24 hours apart.
You will be issued credit for missed program day (with proof of positive Covid-19 test)
If Paths & Pages has to close due to exposure, you will be issued credit for missed program day

Official CDC Guidelines for Camps & Childcare Facilities:

Official Public Health Information:

FORMS & POLICIES

DOWNLOAD LIABILITY WAIVER

COVID-19 SYMPTOM TRACKER LINK

YOU MUST FILL THIS OUT EACH DAY BEFORE CAMP

1. You are required to fill-out this daily symptom tracker EVERY MORNING BEFORE CAMP. We will confirm receipt upon arrival & will not check kids in until this form is completed.

2. Make sure paperwork is complete. We have hard copies of our liability agreement available to sign on-location. We will confirm with you upon arrival.

3. Check-in with the Lead Counselor. We'll confirm receipt of forms, liability agreement, emergency contact information & special accommodations.

4. We'll give you the phone number for your Lead Counselor in the morning. Please keep in mind that our main priority is the safety and well-being of the group. We cannot always respond right away, but we will check for calls/texts periodically throughout the day. Texts are strongly preferred.

5. Parents are asked to depart ASAP to limit group gathering. If you think your child will need more time to adjust, please plan accordingly.

6. If you'd like to know where we're headed for the day, please tell us in the AM and we will add you to the text list. We will text by 11:00 a.m. each day. We return at 3PM.

HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR CAREGIVERS

KidsHealth:

“How to Talk to Your Child about Coronavirus (COVID-19)”

Child Mind Institute:

“How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids”

Child Mind Institute:

“What to Do/Not to Do When Children are Anxious”

Anchor 1

NATURE AS AN IMMUNE SYSTEM BOOSTER

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is produced in the body when the sun’s ultraviolet rays contact the skin and initiate a chain reaction converting a form of cholesterol into Vitamin D. Vitamin D has been found to have many effects in the body, one of which is maintaining a healthy immune system. In fact, Vitamin D deficiency in childhood is associated with increased risk of autoimmune disorders, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), in adulthood. Individuals who live in climates where there is little sun exposure or who spend most of their time indoors are at significant risk of Vitamin D deficiency.

Phytoncides: These volatile organic compounds have been identified in plants. They serve to protect the plant against invasion by bacteria, fungi and viruses (sound familiar?). Studies have found that when people spend time in nature that they inhale these phytoncides, which work to improve immune function in humans as they do in plants (Li et al., 2006, 2009).

Mycobacterium Vaccae: This microorganism, located in soil, has been found to activate the immune system in animal studies. It is believed that when people spend time outdoors, getting down to earth, as it were, these microscopic bacteria are inhaled and ingested, contributing to one of the many immune-boosting properties of nature (Lowry et al., 2007).

Central Nervous System Effects: A significant amount of research has looked at the mental health benefits of time spent in nature. (See the excellent review articles by Dr. Margaret Hansen in 2017 and Dr. Ming Kuo in 2015 for specifics.) Emerging evidence has revealed a correlation between low-stress, “parasympathetic” tone and immune system stimulation (Kenney and Ganta, 2014). In other words, our immune systems are happy when we’re happy. It does not take a huge stretch of the imagination to correlate the high-stress environment of overpopulation with diminished immune system function.

Natural Killer (N.K.) Cells: Qing Li, one of the physicians in Japan who coined the term shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, has studied the effect of time spent in nature upon NK cells. These cells, whose job is to sweep through the body to locate and eliminate tumor cells, viruses and bacteria, have been found to increase in both number and level of activity after spending a minimum of two hours in nature (Li, 2007, 2008, 2010).

Herbal Medicine: Certain plants have been used throughout the ages in traditional cultures to bolster the immune system. Elderberry, astragalus, and echinacea are among those that have evidence to support their use, under the guidance of a trained integrative physician, clinician or herbalist. As with all ingested supplements, quality, dose, and potential drug-herb interactions are important considerations.

"The Coronavirus is heading your way. Grab a tree and hold on!"-Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller, MD, FACOG, ABOIM