Scout Service Under Shelter in Place Conditions?

[TAHAWK]

1 hour ago, T2Eagle said:

Our hospital system in Ohio has gone to universal masking recommendations for everyone in the building in the hospitals: visitors, non clinical workers, everyone.  Wearing a mask provides some protection from larger droplets that other people are spewing, and it protects others from you since there are lots of asymptomatic folks walking around with it.  

Wearing a mask never harms anyone, so long as you are not using up supplies that would otherwise be used by healthcare workers

Views differ. - and change.  I am nothing like an epidemiologist.  If the Battelle  fast sanitizer works and can be mass produced, mask shortages may be a thing of the past. https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/29/21198715/fda-approves-battelles-decontaminate-n95-face-masks-coronavirus

The consensus may be incorrect, but it's out there:

"COVID-19 can cause a number of symptoms that may appear several days after exposure. The most common symptoms are cough, fever and shortness of breath. The virus is primarily spread by respiratory droplets transmitted via close contact (within 6 feet) with an infected person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Respiratory droplets are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

The increase in the general public buying surgical face masks has resulted in mask shortages for some health care workers. So should you wear a face mask to protect yourself from the virus, even if you're not sick?

"The current recommendations regarding masks are that if you yourself are sick with fever and cough, you can wear a surgical mask to prevent transmission to other people. If you are healthy, there is not thought to be any additional benefit to wearing a mask yourself because the mask is not airtight and does not necessarily prevent breathing in of these viral particles, which are very tiny," says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist."

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/covid-19-when-should-you-wear-a-face-mask/

 

How can I best protect myself?

Practice the following:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 15-20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact (within 6 feet) with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Standard household cleansers and wipes are effective in cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• It’s currently flu and respiratory disease season and CDC recommends getting vaccinated, taking everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/preparing-for-coronavirus

 

A Surgical Mask Won’t Help People Who Aren't Sick

For someone who is not sick, wearing a surgical mask will not be effective against the coronavirus because the main route of transmission at this time appears to be airborne. What happens is that when someone coughs or sneezes into the air, large and small droplets are formed. The larger, heavy droplets fall to the ground but smaller droplets might stay in the air for a few seconds or minutes. If someone breaths in these small droplets, they could become ill.

This does still require fairly close contact -- you have to be within 3 feet usually -- but because the droplets that stay suspended in the air are so small, they can easily pass through the pores of the mask.

In addition, as you breathe through the mask and it becomes damp, it becomes less and less useful. That is why wearing a mask out in public isn’t going to help. It is much more likely that hugging a friend or eating lunch with your neighbor would give you the kind of close contact you need to transmit the virus.

N95 Masks

The second type of mask is an N95 mask. This one has small enough pores that it does block infectious material from coming through. However, these masks must be properly fit-tested to your face to be effective. Medical professionals who use these generally have to do a yearly fit testing.

If you do not have this mask properly fit-tested, then it likely won’t fit correctly. As a result, the mask will be completely useless because even the smallest gap between the mask and your face will allow the virus to pass through. In addition, N95 masks are extremely uncomfortable and difficult to wear for long periods of time.

https://www.uhhospitals.org/Healthy-at-UH/articles/2020/03/what-you-need-to-know-about-masks-and-coronavirus

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a typical surgical mask doesn't provide the wearer with a reliable level of protection from inhaling smaller airborne particles, and it's not considered respiratory protection.

So who should use surgical masks? "The role of facemasks is for patient source control, to prevent contamination of the surrounding area when a person coughs or sneezes," the CDC reports. "Patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 should wear a facemask until they are isolated in a hospital or at home. The patient does not need to wear a facemask while isolated."

In other words, they're worth wearing if you're already showing symptoms or have been diagnosed with an illness and you want to avoid getting others sick. But regular surgical masks aren't very effective at keeping healthy people from inhaling small particles (because they don't provide a perfect seal on the face).

Another type of mask, an N95 respirator, provides a better seal and is about 95% effective at filtering out both large and small particles. These are the masks that are sorely needed among health care providers during an outbreak.

"A surgical N95 (also referred as a medical respirator) is recommended only for use by health care personnel who need protection from both airborne and fluid hazards (e.g., splashes, sprays)," the CDC reports. "These respirators are not used or needed outside of health care settings. In times of shortage, only health care personnel who are working in a sterile field or who may be exposed to high velocity splashes, sprays or splatters of blood or body fluids should wear these respirators, such as in operative or procedural settings."

Protecting the people caring for patients is vital to preventing the spread of coronavirus.

https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/surgical-masks

 

1. If you develop a fever or other symptoms, isolate yourself immediately from healthy cohabitants — preferably in a separate room with access to a bathroom that you and you alone will be using for the duration of the illness. 
2. If you [with symptoms] must leave the isolation area, it may be acceptable to wear a surgical mask. Wash your hands thoroughly and ensure that surfaces you come in contact with are properly cleaned and sanitized. Return to your room as soon as possible; avoid prolonged interaction (this goes for would-be caregivers as well).

Dr. David R. Price, a critical care intensivist at New York City's Weill Cornell Medical Center

Edited March 31, 2020 by TAHAWK

[qwazse]

And there it is ... an ad for "Shop Filter face mask."

[Eagledad]

Strangely, I find NOT touching my face more challenging than I would have thought. A doctor said on TV the other day that if a mask does nothing else, it keeps you from touching your face. 

Barry

[mashmaster]

My scouts are making these.  My wife put together instructions.  these are nice because you can put a filter or an N95 mask inside it.

 

Making fabric masks. Here's step by step instructions with pictures to make a mask with a pocket for a filter. Contact me if you have questions!

https://tinyurl.com/hh-facemask

[Jeff1974]

I have had a few ask Scouts ask about service hours, and conservation projects.  Every state has different shelter in place restrictions and each Troop operates in varying population densities.  Here, people are out walking their dogs at distance and the forest preserves are open.  Our Troop has done buckthorn clearing at a county forest preserve in our village with a cabin used by the cub scouts and girl scouts, and a subject of many recent eagle projects the past year.  If you can take a walk in the woods alone, I was thinking a parent and scout, at an arranged time, so as not to overlap with any other interested scouts, might clear buckthorn  in the woods, or move previously cleared buckthorn to a fire pit for later use, for an hour.   The nonprofit that owns the cabin, which is obviously now closed, was supportive.  

[fred8033]

5 hours ago, Jeff1974 said:

I have had a few ask Scouts ask about service hours, and conservation projects.  Every state has different shelter in place restrictions an ...  If you can take a walk in the woods alone, I was thinking a parent and scout, at an arranged time, so as not to overlap with any other interested scouts, might clear buckthorn  in the woods, or move previously cleared buckthorn to a fire pit for later use, for an hour.   The nonprofit that owns the cabin, which is obviously now closed, was supportive.  

I'm very uncomfortable about this.  

• We are leaders represent an organization.  Our organization STRONGLY ADVISES no activities.  That doesn't mean leaders suggest a parent/child go out own their own to do it.  The leader should say we don't advise it.  Stay at home.  https://www.scouting.org/scoutingathome/
• Until things change, the best service scouts can do is staying home and helping at home.  Period.  
• If a parent/child want to get groceries and deliver them to a neighbor-in-need, that's their choice.  And we should applaud it.  BUT, we should not organize or advocate for it.  We should not even suggest it. 

In the above example, the buck thorn will still  be there six months or a year from now.  Do that type of service then.  If a family wants to do it own their own, that's their choice.  But, we as leaders should not organize, suggest or advocate for it.  

Our message should be clear, consistent and follow BSA's guidance.  Stay home.  Stay safe.  

Edited April 3, 2020 by fred8033

[qwazse]

The crux of the matter is not the walk in the woods ... which I advocate for any family at this time. It's the cars needed to get there and the relatively tight parking areas (and all those door handles) ... which I wouldn't advocate.

If those woods are just a walk from everyone's house, then you aren't carrying your carriers, and a service project is manageable.

Honestly, litter is accumulating around people's homes. How about scouts picking that up?

That nurse or doctor whose working doubles? That neighbor whose laid off? A home-cooked meal on their doorstep would go a long way!

And, let's remind ourselves that, even in this pandemic, it's a big country. There is no one-size-fits-all.

[RememberSchiff]

“The call originally came from the United Way to our chartered organization, First United Methodist Church. They were asking for help with unloading the trucks,” said Greg Amstutz, Committee Chairman for Scouts BSA Troop 31. Once Greg received the request from his church he knew exactly how to help. “I thought this would be a perfect way for my Scouts to help and we volunteered our services right away.”

So, Greg mobilized his unit, deploying them on every Tuesday to unload food from the trucks and build the pallets back up in the gymnasium.

Both Scouts BSA Troops, consisting of both male and female Scouts respectively, have unloaded four trucks, helped make food bags, and totaled 141 hours of service thus far. Director Smith acknowledged the help is appreciated and is a great service, “This is manual labor, physically unloading food, moving pallets, and then reassembling this food for packing and distribution to residents.”

More including photos at source:

Servitude, Selflessness, Scouting in Van Wert County (OH)

https://timesbulletin.com/Content/News/Community-News/Article/Servitude-Selflessness-Scouting-in-Van-Wert-County/2/1170/224012

Edited April 3, 2020 by RememberSchiff

[InquisitiveScouter]

The article above also explains; "The safety of these Scouts and all the volunteers are of the utmost importance to the United Way, especially during a time when social distancing is of high priority. Director Smith has put measures in place to make sure everyone is as safe as possible, “We are screening all of the volunteers when they come in, allowing only a group of 10 individuals to volunteer at a time, and are making sure we maintain the minimum six feet of distance between each other."

Each situation will be different...but if an organization you wish to volunteer for does not support your adherence to, or the activity does not lend itself to the standing guidelines for social distancing and personal protection, then don't do it.

Personally, I would caution any unit to limit this to activities of necessity...food distribution, pet care for health care workers, etc...  Litter pick up and invasive species removal should wait.

Also ask, what is the motive?  If it is to make rank by fulfilling a requirement, then don't do it.  This is the wrong focus for community service.

How long before we see some headline with a Scout unit in an activity where they are not adhering to safe practices?

 

[qwazse]

1 hour ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

... Also ask, what is the motive?  If it is to make rank by fulfilling a requirement, then don't do it.  This is the wrong focus for community service. ...

I hate when people question scouts' motives ... almost as much as I hate when scouters announce that a project "counts for service hours."

I swear, nobody who likes those shenanigans should let me run this organization. I would strike all service hour requirements from every rank ... immediately after eliminating the ageist policy on rank advancement, requiring ASMs and SMs to earn 1st class from their SPL/JASMs, and re-instituting Bird Study as required for Eagle.

Most all scouts have fulfilled the hours need for their next rank 10x over, most all scouts want to do something for their community, and most any project is going to take twice as long as what any scout needs for his/her next rank.

Nothing personal @InquisitiveScouter, you just tapped a pet peeve!

[InquisitiveScouter]

@qwazse,

We think a lot alike...it wasn't the Scouts' motives I would question, but the adult leaders who would organize such an event during a time like this.  Those same adults who make the announcement...  

Totally agree with striking service hours as a requirement.  Also agree with allowing adults to earn ranks...(Rovers, anyone?)

As for Bird Study...that is as it used to be, along with Pioneering.

We should start a thread for Pet Peeves!

 

 

[fred8033]

1 hour ago, qwazse said:

I hate when people question scouts' motives ... almost as much as I hate when scouters announce that a project "counts for service hours."

I swear, nobody who likes those shenanigans should let me run this organization. I would strike all service hour requirements from every rank ... immediately after eliminating the ageist policy on rank advancement, requiring ASMs and SMs to earn 1st class from their SPL/JASMs, and re-instituting Bird Study as required for Eagle.

Most all scouts have fulfilled the hours need for their next rank 10x over, most all scouts want to do something for their community, and most any project is going to take twice as long as what any scout needs for his/her next rank.

Nothing personal @InquisitiveScouter, you just tapped a pet peeve!

Qwazse ... I generally agree with your post.  ... BUT ... it's more than questioning scout's motives.  I regularly see the same thing stated in the original post.  Worse, I often see leaders doing the same thing.  BAJ said in the original post:  "We have a few scouts who were looking for service opportunities to get service hours for rank before COVID hit. ..."
 

1 hour ago, qwazse said:

I would strike all service hour requirements from every rank.

I agree, but would keep something about service as we value service.  Perhaps similar to requirements about scout spirit.  A statement that scouts value service and asking the scout to explain how the scout fulfills that value.

I often wonder if we should simplify the requirements as it's just too many words for scouts.  Seriously.  In my work, the "quality" processes were defined using policies, standards, processes, procedures and a level overview.  I wonder if requirements should be re-formatted / re-structured to reflect that.  

• Scout facing
  • Level Overview ... One or two sentences for every rank.  What do we generally expect of a 2nd class scout?  First class scout?   These would be in the scout handbook at the start of the rank.
  • Policy ... These are the requirements the scout sees in his handbook.  
• Leader facing
  • Standard ... This would be in the leaders handbook to help clarify what we should expect of the scout.  Similar to a process auditor that has guidelines on what to expect and what to look.
    • Hours
      • Not a math measurement.  Not an accounting spreadsheet. 
      • Should scale to roughly ## hours for tenderfoot, ## hours for 2nd class, ## hours for first class.  But don't keep a spreadsheet.   
      • Focus on valuing the service
      • Focus on encouraging service and not using it as a gate.  
  • Procedure for evaluating ... required or expecting
  • Process for evaluating ... required or expecting

[qwazse]

1 hour ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

... We should start a thread for Pet Peeves! ...

Asked and answered, from a much simpler time:

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by qwazse

[BAJ]

Accepting the critique that I’ve been flagged here as a bad example for the way that I worded my original post, I’m honestly struggling here with how the last few posts have framed service and service hour requirements as distinct from other requirements for advancement in scouting.  

A central reason particular skills, behaviors or actions are included in requirements for advancement is that they are elements that Scouting seeks to convey to the youth that are participants.  Outdoor skills are required for lower rank advancement because that is central to transmitting the core of the outdoor program to young scouts early.  Citizenship in the Nation and Personal Management are Eagle required because both the knowledge and skills inherent in both are something that the program believes should be conveyed to every scout on their path to Eagle.  And service - implemented as service hours - are required because scouting is seeking to convey a desire to help others and contribute to the community.  

Certainly, it would be ideal if every scout served more than “required” and yes, many do,  unprompted by a requirement to do so, and that there were no scouts who sought opportunities to serve “just for rank advancement.”  But I see no reason why that same logic shouldn’t apply to all other requirements as well — all scouts should want to learn knot tying unprompted by a requirement to so.  All scouts should want to be engaged in their community, so why require attendance at a city council meeting as merit badge requirements?  It seems to me the reason service hours are required is to prompt scouts who wouldn’t organically do them to try.  Some will then fully absorb the lesson about service at a deep level, and service will become a core part of their scouting experience and hopefully their adult life.  Some won’t, and for them the required hours will be Scouting’s effort to teach a lesson that maybe didn’t fully “take” (just as some scouts come thru scouting and camp “enough” to meet their requirements, but never develop a deep love of being in the outoors.)

So, while I am not trying to “just be defensive” about being flagged as a bad example of adult leadership this early in my leadership career, in part I am, since I just don’t see why a scout being prompted to serve because of a requirement to do so or a leader seeking opportunities for them to do so...

[HashTagScouts]

Trying to setup video conferencing with many folks in nursing homes or rehab hospitals would probably be difficult- big question if the residents have the technology.  Less from an individual "service hours" perspective, but from a group service project, nursing homes and rehab hospitals might be able to setup a smart-TV in a central location (i.e. dining room) that the residents may be able to gather, and you do a group conference with your unit over Zoom, and have the kids take turns sharing pictures they have drawn about what they most are looking forward to doing once the stay-at-home restrictions are lifted, and they can voice-over why they chose that.  Sharing messages of hope right now are valuable, and it so often the interaction that individuals in these places like and need to hear.