COVID Policy Update (June 1)

The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) and Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) recently published their rules for licensed children's resident camps to follow in regards to COVID. We have worked closely with them to update our plans. Our goals:

• minimize the need for masking
• minimize the potential disruptions to the camp experiences due to positive cases and close contact exposures
• operate as normally as possible, while being able to adapt to the potential of positive cases

We all wish Covid was something we could put behind us. However, new, more transmissible variants mean we will all need to take proactive steps to minimize the impacts of Covid on our camp community.

Thoughts from CDPHE and JCPH:

First off, thank you for your commitment to Covid vaccination. Jefferson County Public Health was thrilled and appreciative to hear that we (along with two other resident camps in Jefferson County) are requiring full vaccination for Covid to attend.  While we know vaccinations may not prevent every infection, we are relieved that any cases that do occur will almost certainly not result in any severe illness or hospitalization.

Booster Doses:

With the CDC recently authorizing booster shots for all children of camp age, it is strongly recommended your camper gets one, if your child's doctor recommends it.

Pre-Camp Prevention & Testing:

The best way to reduce the risk of a Covid outbreak at camp is to avoid letting it in in the first place! 

Remember: upon arriving at camp, your kids are instantly a new household - eating together at the same table, brushing teeth together at the same sink, sleeping in the same room - all part of being a tight-knit, and close-contact group of people from the first minute. The payoff is the incredible Camp Granite Lake experience - mostly mask-free!

Like last year, 5-7 days before the start of your session, we ask families to be smart about exposure to illness. We highly discourage indoor dining at restaurants, indoor concerts, and any other behaviors that can spread illness. Masking around others before camp will minimize the chance of catching and spreading illness while at camp, so please consider this easy (though harder to get our kids to do now!) step, as well. 

We are also requiring campers to take two tests prior to camp:

• On the Saturday or Sunday before you arrive: Take a rapid COVID test and report that result through a camp web form.
• On arrival to camp, all campers will receive a rapid test.

If your camper tests positive right before camp or at drop off, your camper will be required to remain at home for at least 5 days, and may join camp when they have completed their quarantine per CDC guidelines (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html).

In Camp Testing & Covid Management

Campers will likely be tested each of the first three days of the session after arrival (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). After the first three days, campers will be tested if they present symptoms consistent with Covid.

Local campers who test positive during camp will need to be picked up and may return to camp after completing quarantine at home, just like they would if they were still in school. Please refer to CDC Quarantine and Isolation guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html .

We will work with the families of out of state campers, and they should be able to receive care and isolate at camp in accordance to CDC guidelines.

Campers who are considered close contacts (15 cumulative minutes within 6-feet in a 24 hour period OR are in the cabin of a positive camper or staff member) will begin a 'Test To Stay' program until cleared by our Health Department. During this test period, close contacts will eat meals together (separate from the rest of camp), and be asked to wear masks inside when around other campers who are not in their cabin group. They will continue to attend program as normal.

Credit for missed time:

Campers will receive 100% credit in 2023 for days missed at camp due to COVID (either because of illness or because of away-from-camp quarantine).  Staff: Minimizing the impacts of Covid on camp this summer is a responsibility shared by all of us - including our staff. In addition to being vaccinated, we have placed restrictions on indoor dining and large indoor events for staff members during their time off, as well as requiring them to wear masks when in stores.

Thank you again for taking responsibility for our entire camp community!