HOUSTON — As we inch closer to summer, many families will be glad to hear youth camps will be allowed to operate.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday the second phase in his gradual plan to reopen the state. The announcement included the return of both daytime and overnight youth camps beginning May 31.
In the meantime, youth camps are allowed to make preparations and collect any supplies are equipment needed in order to maintain health and safety protocols.
All staff and volunteers must be trained on the appropriate cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
Employees and volunteers with underlying health issues should have limited participation or not be allowed to attend the camp. If possible, the state recommends staff wear face coverings at all times. The same goes for campers.
Texas recommends the camp appoint a person to oversea the enforcement of health protocals and to monitor for possible symptoms among the staff and children.
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Camps are also instructed to ensure access to on-site medical personnel, or on-call physician, for the duration of a camp session.
As far as the structure of the camp, guidelines say campers should be separated into groups based on age, grade or some other criteria to limit exposure among attendees. Mixing of groups should be limited.
Off-campus trips are highly discouraged and should be limited or completely removed from the schedule if possible. When traveling, Texas recommends all vehicle occupants wear face coverings and only one individual in every other row of the vehicle.
Staff should be screened and monitored daily for coronavirus symptoms, they should be tested and isolated. If the staff person tests positive, they must leave immediately and all parents must be notified.
The staffer will be allowed to return 72 hours after making a full recovery or with a special note from a medical professional.
Parents or guardians may decide to either pick up their child from the camp or leave the child in the camp and trust the camp to take appropriate safeguards.
If a child tests positive for coronavirus, all parents must be notified and given the choice to pick up their child.
Parents will only be allowed during drop-off and pick-up of camper. It is recommended parents stay inside their vehicles if possible.
In the case of overnight camps, parent visitation is not be allowed and staffers shouldn't be allowed to travel in the surrounding communities.
Find more details about health protocols and guidelines for youth camp operators and parents here at the official Texas government website.
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