Covid-19 Updates

A scenic view of the front of Feathers Cottage with a large crabapple tree on the front lawn. Text on it reads, "Camp Kintail COVID-19 Update".

Camp Kintail – COVID-19 Camper Safety Plan

June 2022

This plan is being put in place to help keep all campers, staff, and guests healthy, well, and COVID-free throughout their time at camp and when they return home. The goal is to keep Camp Kintail able to provide day and overnight camp throughout the whole summer. What happens in one week will impact the next week, so these guidelines are in place to ensure that we can meet the goal together.

VACCINATIONS:

According to the Chief Medical Officer of Health in Ontario and the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Canada, vaccinations are one of the best tools we have to combat COVID-19. While COVID vaccinations are not a requirement for camp this summer, we strongly encourage each camper to get their COVID vaccinations and boosters.
All staff members are up to date on their vaccinations to keep campers, fellow staff members, and guests as safe as possible.
A short form will be sent to every family regarding vaccination status and COVID. We require this information in the instance of a positive case in a cabin. If a family declines to provide this information, the camp will need to assume that a child is not up to date with vaccinations.

BEFORE CAMP:

We are encouraging each camper to limit their exposure to people outside of their household to the best extent possible in the week leading up to their time at camp.
In the days leading up to camp, we encourage families to use the School and Child Care Screening Tool.
We encourage all campers to take a rapid test the day they are coming to camp. Keeping COVID out of camp is our priority. The camp also has rapid tests available on opening day if any camper or family would like to take a test when they arrive.
If your child is not able to pass the screening, or is feeling unwell, or tests positive for COVID in the days leading up to camp, please let the camp know.
If a child has tested positive during the week before camp, they will need to have isolated for five days and show a negative COVID test upon arrival at camp. As per Ontario guidelines, campers will need to wear a mask in all public spaces for the ten days after the outset of symptoms. In this case, our preference is that the camp session is postponed until later in the summer.

CANCELLATION & PAYMENTS

All registration has been done with no financial commitment. Payments will not be taken until the Friday before the week of camp.
There are wait lists for many weeks of the summer, so if you know that you will need to cancel a registration, please let the camp office know right away, so another child can fill the spot.
If your child is unwell or tests positive for COVID in the days prior to camp, please call the camp to move the registration forward to another week of the summer where there is space. If this is not possible, and the payment has been taken, a full refund will be given.
If a child becomes sick and needs to return home while they are camp, the refund will be pro-rated for the number of days they attended camp.

DAY CAMP:

Campers in a day camp group are considered a “close contact” as they will be spending time together but they are not sharing a sleeping space.

Families are expected to screen their children each day using the School and Child Care Screening Tool before heading to camp.
Drop off and registration will take place outdoors at the gazebo by the front entrance.
Pick up will also take place at the gazebo.
We ask families and campers to practice physical distancing during drop off and pick up.
If a day camper displays any symptoms of COVID, they will be isolated. Parents or Guardians will be contacted, and the camper will be picked up. Before a return to camp, the camper must not have any symptoms and have a negative rapid test.
If a positive test result happens in a day camp group, the families of the other campers in the group will be contacted. Parents and staff are to continue to monitor for any symptoms.
Other campers in that group will be allowed to return to camp, but a parent could choose to keep their child at home.
If a child has a positive COVID test, siblings that are up to date on their vaccinations or have previously tested positive for COVID within the last 90 days will be permitted to continue to attend day camp. Siblings that are not up to date on vaccinations will be required to isolate with their sibling.

OVERNIGHT CAMP:

It is important to note that when a child attends overnight camp, they are now considered to be in a “household” with the other members of their cabin, as they are sleeping, eating, and spending time with one another without masks.
Registration will be outside, and we will ask families and campers to practice physical distancing.
In the past, parents have helped campers move into cabins, but this year we are asking parents to say good-bye to campers when they meet their counsellors after going through the registration process.
Parents are asked to screen all overnight campers using the School and Child Care Screening Tool questions before they arrive at camp.
If any overnight camper displays any symptoms of COVID, they will be isolated. Parents or Guardians will be contacted and consulted. A rapid test will be given. If positive, the camper will leave site. If negative, the camper will remain isolated for four additional hours. If symptoms disappear, then they re-join their cabin. If the symptoms persist, then they must leave site.
If a positive test result happens in an overnight cabin, campers who are up to date with their vaccinations or who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last ninety days will continue to participate in the session, with masking, cohorting within the cabin, and symptom monitoring. Campers who are not up to date on their vaccinations and have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last ninety days will be expected to return home and to isolate for ten days as they are a household contact. (As per Management of Cases and Contacts with COVID-19 in Ontario.)
If a positive test happens in an overnight cabin, the families of the other campers in the cabin will be contacted. Parents of vaccinated campers may choose to pick up their child from camp.

MASKS

Campers will always be welcome to wear masks as they are comfortable. Masks are not required when we are outdoors, expect at the high challenge course where staff and campers are in close contact for a prolonged period. At camp we endeavour to be outdoors as much as possible.
Masking is not required in the cabins with cabinmates (their household cohort).
Masking may be required indoors if multiple cohorts are in the same indoor space for a prolonged period.
Meals will be taken outdoors or in a very well-ventilated dining area, so masking is not mandatory but always welcome at mealtimes.