January Letter From the Camp Director
Dear Sweeney Family,
Amidst these challenging times, I am happy to see hope on the horizon with the emergence of COVID-19 vaccines. I have just received my second dose and have been delighted to see many members of the Sweeney Family posting on social media about receiving their vaccines as well.
As always, I am working nonstop on Sweeney. We just completed our 5-day leadership training at camp at the beginning of January. We COVID-19 tested our counselors upon entry to and exit from camp, and all tests returned negative. Our staff is quite ready and motivated to give these children a taste of normalcy after 22 long months without Sweeney.
Our Medical Committee, in cooperation with the Program Staff, is working hard on developing our COVID-19 protocols for the summer. Much has been learned about this disease in the past year, and both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Camp Association (ACA) have put out materials on how to safely hold in-person summer camp amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We feel confident about our ability to safely hold summer sessions, and I would like to provide you a few highlights of what you can expect this summer. Given that the COVID-19 situation is still fluid, we will continue to make adjustments to these protocols as the CDC and ACA provide additional guidance.
MINIMIZE THE RISK
Our plan to safely hold in-person sessions this summer is based on the following tenets: minimizing the risk for entry of COVID-19 into camp, incorporating multiple layers of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), and employing widespread health screening and testing of staff and campers. The work to make camp safe will start well before any camper arrives. We intend to have our entire staff fully vaccinated before the summer sessions. Additionally, we ask campers and their families to isolate for 7 days prior to travelling to camp for Opening Day.
NEW OPENING DAY PROCEDURES
We have made several modifications to our Opening Day routine. Much of the check in that typically happens in-person at camp will take place over the phone prior to Opening Day. This will allow us to expedite the check in process. We are also limiting the number of individuals who enter camp on Opening Day, and we will ask everyone except the camper to remain in the car for the entirety of the check in, drop off, and move in process. Each camper will take a PCR test for COVID-19 upon arrival.
TESTING
This summer, we will have a regular schedule of COVID-19 testing for all campers and staff members, including the test administered on Opening Day of each session. We have made arrangements with a local lab to have same-day PCR test results for COVID-19 available. We will monitor campers and staff for symptoms of COVID-19 and take their temperature each day. Any symptomatic camper will be isolated and tested, and should anyone test positive, we have a plan in place for isolation and discharge.
SWEENEY BUBBLE
Additionally, we plan to incorporate several layers of NPIs. These include cohorting (grouping) by cabin, wearing facial coverings and physical distancing when outside of your own cohort, and modification of certain camp programming to better allow for physical distancing. With frequent testing and this layered-NPI approach we hope to form a “Sweeney Bubble.” Once we establish the Sweeney Bubble, we intend to relax some of our NPIs. Based on current CDC guidelines as well as data from overnight summer camps that operated successfully in 2020, this can happen once we receive two negative PCR tests within the first 5 days of camp and campers are showing no symptoms of COVID-19 through the first 7 days.
RESOURCES
We will continue to update this page throughout the spring as further COVID-19 guidance for summer camps is released. If you have any additional questions that are not covered on our website, you may contact our Associate Program Directors at program1@campsweeney.org. If you are interested, our Associate Program Directors are also available for virtual 1-on-1 Zoom meetings. You can sign up at campsweeney.org/askapd.
Camp Sweeney means so much to so many, and I am overjoyed that we are able to offer in-person sessions in 2021. It has been a long 22 months for the campers without Sweeney, and all the Sweeney staff and I are incredibly excited to make summer 2021 the best one yet. I look forward to seeing everyone back at camp soon. Each and every one of you is in my prayers now and always.
Sincerely,
Ernie Fernandez, M.D.
Camp Director
Amidst these challenging times, I am happy to see hope on the horizon with the emergence of COVID-19 vaccines. I have just received my second dose and have been delighted to see many members of the Sweeney Family posting on social media about receiving their vaccines as well.
As always, I am working nonstop on Sweeney. We just completed our 5-day leadership training at camp at the beginning of January. We COVID-19 tested our counselors upon entry to and exit from camp, and all tests returned negative. Our staff is quite ready and motivated to give these children a taste of normalcy after 22 long months without Sweeney.
Our Medical Committee, in cooperation with the Program Staff, is working hard on developing our COVID-19 protocols for the summer. Much has been learned about this disease in the past year, and both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Camp Association (ACA) have put out materials on how to safely hold in-person summer camp amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We feel confident about our ability to safely hold summer sessions, and I would like to provide you a few highlights of what you can expect this summer. Given that the COVID-19 situation is still fluid, we will continue to make adjustments to these protocols as the CDC and ACA provide additional guidance.
MINIMIZE THE RISK
Our plan to safely hold in-person sessions this summer is based on the following tenets: minimizing the risk for entry of COVID-19 into camp, incorporating multiple layers of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), and employing widespread health screening and testing of staff and campers. The work to make camp safe will start well before any camper arrives. We intend to have our entire staff fully vaccinated before the summer sessions. Additionally, we ask campers and their families to isolate for 7 days prior to travelling to camp for Opening Day.
NEW OPENING DAY PROCEDURES
We have made several modifications to our Opening Day routine. Much of the check in that typically happens in-person at camp will take place over the phone prior to Opening Day. This will allow us to expedite the check in process. We are also limiting the number of individuals who enter camp on Opening Day, and we will ask everyone except the camper to remain in the car for the entirety of the check in, drop off, and move in process. Each camper will take a PCR test for COVID-19 upon arrival.
TESTING
This summer, we will have a regular schedule of COVID-19 testing for all campers and staff members, including the test administered on Opening Day of each session. We have made arrangements with a local lab to have same-day PCR test results for COVID-19 available. We will monitor campers and staff for symptoms of COVID-19 and take their temperature each day. Any symptomatic camper will be isolated and tested, and should anyone test positive, we have a plan in place for isolation and discharge.
SWEENEY BUBBLE
Additionally, we plan to incorporate several layers of NPIs. These include cohorting (grouping) by cabin, wearing facial coverings and physical distancing when outside of your own cohort, and modification of certain camp programming to better allow for physical distancing. With frequent testing and this layered-NPI approach we hope to form a “Sweeney Bubble.” Once we establish the Sweeney Bubble, we intend to relax some of our NPIs. Based on current CDC guidelines as well as data from overnight summer camps that operated successfully in 2020, this can happen once we receive two negative PCR tests within the first 5 days of camp and campers are showing no symptoms of COVID-19 through the first 7 days.
RESOURCES
We will continue to update this page throughout the spring as further COVID-19 guidance for summer camps is released. If you have any additional questions that are not covered on our website, you may contact our Associate Program Directors at program1@campsweeney.org. If you are interested, our Associate Program Directors are also available for virtual 1-on-1 Zoom meetings. You can sign up at campsweeney.org/askapd.
Camp Sweeney means so much to so many, and I am overjoyed that we are able to offer in-person sessions in 2021. It has been a long 22 months for the campers without Sweeney, and all the Sweeney staff and I are incredibly excited to make summer 2021 the best one yet. I look forward to seeing everyone back at camp soon. Each and every one of you is in my prayers now and always.
Sincerely,
Ernie Fernandez, M.D.
Camp Director
Questions about COVID-19 and Summer 2021
Will the staff be vaccinated?
It is our intention to have all staff vaccinated before the summer sessions. Because all our staff are childcare workers, they fall into a slightly higher priority group to receive the vaccine.
How often will campers and staff be tested? What type of testing will you use?
All campers and staff will receive a PCR test on the first and fifth days of each session. Antigen and PCR tests will be available throughout the session for any campers exhibiting symptoms that could indicate a COVID-19 infection (cough, fever, etc.). We have an agreement with Advanced Laboratory Services in Sherman, Texas, for same-day PCR test turnaround.
Will parents need to pay to have their children tested?
No. Camp Sweeney has budgeted for a number of antigen tests to be used in-session. Routine and emergent PCR testing is typically covered by family’s insurance; what is not covered by insurance is covered under the CARES Act.
What are some of the nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) will Camp Sweeney be utilizing?
• Cohorting: Campers will be “cohorted” by cabin. This means that campers will primarily spend time with individuals within their own cabin. When we have events or activities that involve more than one cabin, we will implement additional physical distancing protocols and require facial coverings as needed. Cohorting helps limit the spread of communicable illness and facilitates contact tracing. For at least the first week, campers will eat meals and snacks with their cohort.
• Facial coverings: Each camper will be provided facial coverings to use throughout their stay at camp. At certain activities, campers will be asked to wear their facial covering. These facial coverings will be washed regularly throughout camp.
• Enhanced sanitization procedures: We will be cleaning and sanitizing high contact areas more frequently than previous summers. Hand sanitizer and/or hand washing stations will be available at every activity.
• Mealtimes: Campers will eat by cabin (within their cohort). All food trades will be facilitated by the counseling staff. Plexiglass barriers have been installed between the kitchen and cafeteria.
• Air Filtration: Air Conditioning systems are being upgraded with HEPA filters.
• It is our hope that some of these NPIs can be relaxed at the end of week 1 if all campers and staff test negative for COVID on their first two tests.
• Facial coverings: Each camper will be provided facial coverings to use throughout their stay at camp. At certain activities, campers will be asked to wear their facial covering. These facial coverings will be washed regularly throughout camp.
• Enhanced sanitization procedures: We will be cleaning and sanitizing high contact areas more frequently than previous summers. Hand sanitizer and/or hand washing stations will be available at every activity.
• Mealtimes: Campers will eat by cabin (within their cohort). All food trades will be facilitated by the counseling staff. Plexiglass barriers have been installed between the kitchen and cafeteria.
• Air Filtration: Air Conditioning systems are being upgraded with HEPA filters.
• It is our hope that some of these NPIs can be relaxed at the end of week 1 if all campers and staff test negative for COVID on their first two tests.
What steps will you be taking to limit the entry of COVID-19 into camp once the bubble is formed?
Kitchen staff, PAs, office staff, and anyone else that does not live at camp for the entirety of the session will not interact with campers nor counselors and medical staff.
Will the implementation of NPIs and other safety measures interfere with the fun of camp?
No. While we have made modifications to certain program elements to promote safety, we are working hard to ensure camp feels normal. We think this will be the F-U-N-est summer yet!
What steps are being taken to limit risk of spread in the cabins?
Our Air Conditioning systems are being upgraded with HEPA filters. Research has shown that sleeping “head to toe” (alternating the head and foot positions of campers on bunks positioned next to each other) limits the spread of illness within cabins. For that reason, campers will sleep head to toe. Additionally, we are adding air purifiers to cabins and indoor activity areas.