Summer Camps and the Coronavirus

[le Voyageur]

Thoughts on the impact that covid-19 will, or will not have on summer camps

 

 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by le Voyageur

[Jameson76]

Camps have been through this prior, will get through this, and there will be panics in the future

Here is an article from 2009 on Swine Flu (remember this was going to kill us all at the time) and Scouts affected at summer camp

https://www.ajc.com/news/local/scouts-may-have-been-exposed-swine-flu/ogtUqoAbFf0Az7pqJWPpHN/

Maybe some additional screening, but most have protocols on Scouts with temperatures.  There will be hand wringing to be sure.  Many "experts" will have opinions.

[mrkstvns]

3 minutes ago, le Voyageur said:

Thoughts on the impact that covid-19 will, or will not have on summer camps

Interesting question.  Unfortunately, I don't think it's something that scouters are likely to make the "right" call on because we don't know where, or how extensive the spread might be....but it sure does behoove us to start thinking about it and making contingency plans just in case the spread is bad (or if folks succumb to the urge to cry wolf).

[malraux]

12 minutes ago, le Voyageur said:

Thoughts on the impact that covid-19 will, or will not have on summer camps

I'm CSDC PD for one of the district camps and I've asked that of our camping director. Basic answer is that we don't know enough to predict yet, we'll have to see.

My suspicion is that it will not be a problem for the summer, as most colds tend to drop down that time of year. It might be a problem for either this spring or next fall. Its also not very dangerous to scouting aged youth.

[le Voyageur]

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

Camps have been through this prior, will get through this, and there will be panics in the future

Here is an article from 2009 on Swine Flu (remember this was going to kill us all at the time) and Scouts affected at summer camp

https://www.ajc.com/news/local/scouts-may-have-been-exposed-swine-flu/ogtUqoAbFf0Az7pqJWPpHN/

Maybe some additional screening, but most have protocols on Scouts with temperatures.  There will be hand wringing to be sure.  Many "experts" will have opinions.

Pondering a bit .....Currently, no camps have protocols for adult scouters who may be at the beginning phase  of cytokine release syndrome, as covid 19  is specific to lung tissue, and will not manifest at first with elevated temperatures... additionally, added into the mix are scouters and scouts with asthma, or other medical issues such as COPD, and sleep apnea.......I tend to think we are in uncharted territory this time around...

[RichardB]

Here's a safety moment for y'all.  https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/safety-moments/communicable-disease-prevention/  

Or a framework:  https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-103(18)_Prev_of_CommunicableDiseases.pdf 

If you really want a deep dive perhaps engage your council health supervisor and update your camp's emergency plan - Std AO-805 in NCAP.  Download the standards here:  https://www.scouting.org/outdoor-programs/camp-accreditation/

[FireStone]

Think about where we were a month ago with this thing. In one month, so much has changed.

So thinking about where we'll be with it in July and August is impossible.

[qwazse]

My friend helps CDC with picking flu vaccines -- or as I like to call his job, the highest stakes gamble on the planet. He gives a whole new meaning to men's prayer group. We're rethinking everything from mission trips to communion. He reached out to a Korean colleague. The reply: "Can't talk now. In a pandemic. Please pray." 

Anyhow, he sent me this link to the WHO's hand-washing specification:

https://www.who.int/gpsc/tools/GPSC-HandRub-Wash.pdf

Last night the SPL was quizzing a few boys on 1st class skills. I dropped this in his lap and threw out a few questions in the mix. Which is more effective sanitizer or soap? How long with sanitizer? How long soap?

I then told them the CDCs suggestion to scrub as long as it takes to sing two rounds of "Happy Birthday".

 

 

[yknot]

Just at a COH this weekend where everyone, very scout like, shook hands. Please tell your scouts to stop this for now. 

[qwazse]

1 hour ago, yknot said:

Just at a COH this weekend where everyone, very scout like, shook hands. Please tell your scouts to stop this for now. 

So here's the thing about handshakes and respiratory viruses: handshakes represent a very narrow means of transmission. You all could avoid shaking hands and come through the same door that someone breathed a million viruses over.

If on the other hand, you wash correctly frequently, especially before touching your face, you will have ripped from their lipid envelopes every viral blueprint that you picked up from every table door knob, table top, and parachord  that you just touched -- rendering them desiccated and completely uninteresting to your cells.

FWIW, I'm going nuts counting the number time I touch my face in an hour.

Time to start singing that Happy Birthday dirge.

[yknot]

Yes, wash your hands long and often. However, scouters are among the most hand shaking people I know, so cease and desist for the time being. 

Little is known about this virus. Most recommendations are being extrapolated from data collected in connection with the SARS and MERS corona virus outbreaks. However, this new virus is demonstrating some unique behaviors so prudent caution is advised.

[qwazse]

@yknot

Edited March 4, 2020 by qwazse
sorry hit return, won't let me edit text.

[qwazse]

Sorry, something is funky with "return" today. So this is gonna be one paragraph. The cases so far tell us a lot about how COVID-19 spreads: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html

Quote

Person-to-person spread

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Spread from contact with infected surfaces or objects

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

In other words, long before you shake hands -- or touch in any way -- you will have picked up viruses from a contagious person. If you all abstain from handshaking, but don't wash, you're transmitting the virus. If the infected person is wearing a mask, and washes thoroughly, and you wash thoroughly, you're not transmitting the virus. (Although, mileage may vary, this is the general pattern.) I also emphasized with the boys that this is not about stopping the infections. (That was tried, it failed.) This is about slowing the spread so hospitals aren't inundated with folks needing respirators all at once. We're all getting it, but if your grandpa needs to go to the hospital this week, and my mother-in-law the week after, we might just manage cut the mortality in half or more.

[MattR]

@qwazse, I had problems editing messages on my cell phone but all is normal on my laptop. The problem seems to be that name tags ( @RememberSchiff, @desertrat77) aren't created correctly from my cell phone. If I try and add a tag in the middle of a line it doesn't get recognized and if I add one on the start of the line it gets recognized but then I can't add anything after the tag. I'm using firefox on my cell phone, for what it's worth.

If other people are having problems let us know and we'll pass it on to the powers that can tinker.

And now, back to the OP ....

[jcousino]

We may be seeing the prefect storm that will push many councils over the financial brink

• ·         Loss of LDS unit and fee’s

• ·         Loss of continued loss of membership

• ·         National financial issues effecting local giving

• ·         National continued bad press effecting local view of scouting

• ·         Fear of the corona virus keep parents from sending the children to camp.

I believe like my council many councils depend on summer camp to cover a large part of camp upkeep.

If these councils were to see a $ loss on the summer camp the results may be the final weight that breaks the finical backs of many.

I can easily see these same issues be expressed on a regional and national level with canceled or smaller that planned OA and venturing events. It could go as far as canceling the national jamboree (it would not be the first time)

john