Day trips and activities.
In conjunction with Safety
Activity Checkpoints, follow the same guidance as Troop Meetings and
Hygiene and COVID-19 Risk Mitigation guidance in this document. Call
ahead to the facility or vendor to confirm that they are following CDC
and state health department guidelines. If activity or sporting
equipment is being provided, ask the provider if they wipe down
equipment in between uses, similar to equipment at the gym. Make
whatever appropriate accommodations that are necessary. For example,
bring extra sanitizer if none will be provided for public use at the
activity location.
Travel and overnight stays.
Overnight trips are not
permitted until after the home state is successfully past Phase 3 of
its re-opening process. The timeframes will vary from state to state
and even from county to county in some cases. As always, contact your
council for prior approval before planning any overnight stays and
follow guidance in Safety Activity Checkpoints.
Hygiene and COVID-19 Risk Mitigation.
Follow the resources
developed by credible public health sources such as CDC or your
local public health department. Share these with girls and volunteers
and ensure that they are practiced during meetings and activities.
Place signs in the meeting or activity space to remind girls and
volunteers to engage in everyday
preventive actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Signs
should include:
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Cough and sneeze into a
tissue, throw the tissue in the trash, and wash or sanitize your
hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at
least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before
eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap
and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at
least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and
mouth. Wash hands if you do touch.
- Volunteers, girls and
parents should be reminded to make sure temperatures are taken prior
to group interaction to confirm the individual is not running a
fever and temperature is a normal 98.6 degrees Members with fever or
temperature higher than 98.6 should skip the in-person gathering
until their temperature is normal.
Personal contact.
Hugs, handshakes, “high-fives,” and
even activities like the friendship circle or squeeze can transmit
COVID-19 from person to person. Refrain from these gestures for the
time being. Create a safe way for girls and volunteers to greet and
end meetings instead (like tapping elbows).
Note: Use culturally appropriate messages, materials, and resources.
First Aid Supplies.
Troop first aid supplies should
include COVID-19 prevention items including hand sanitizer (at least
60% alcohol), tissues, disposable facemasks, and disinfectants. Trash
baskets or bags should be supplied for meeting and activity spaces, if
not already available. Make sure that the trash baskets (or bags) are
easily accessible for girls. Disposable or no-contact thermometers may
be added to supplies if available and not cost-prohibitive, however,
parents should be checking temperatures and allowing their girl(s) to
join group activities only when temperatures are normal.
First Aid / CPR Training.
Keep skills up-to-date for any emergency. Talk to your council
about alternative methods of training that may be available during
this time.
Disinfectants and Disinfecting.
Routinely
clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently
touched (i.e., table tops, markers, scissors, etc.). Use a household
cleaner, or see the EPA’s
list of effective cleaners approved for use against COVID-19.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and
disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and
contact time, etc.).
Household bleach is effective against COVID-19 for up to 24 hours
when properly diluted. Check that the bleach is not expired and
determine if it can be used on a given surface. Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation.
Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser.
To prepare a bleach solution, mix:
- 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water or
- 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water
See the CDC’s
website for more on cleaning and disinfecting community facilities.
Face Coverings.
Volunteers should remind girls that Girl
Scouts wear face coverings (masks) not only to protect themselves but
to protect others. Face coverings are a civic responsibility and a
sign of caring for the community. Girls can bring their own face
coverings. Have disposable masks on hand for those who need them.
Volunteers can teach girls how
to handle their face coverings so that the coverings are
effective. Some girls or volunteers may not be able to wear masks, due
to medical conditions such as asthma. Contact your council for
guidance on how best to handle these exceptional circumstances as they arise.
Reporting and communicating a positive COVID 19 test.
In
the event of a COVID-19 positive test result, do NOT contact the
parents or troop members. Promptly contact your council in this
situation. A council staff member and NOT volunteers, will be
responsible for:
- Confirming and tracing the positive tester,
- Contacting the parents of anyone who may have been exposed (or
other volunteers),
- Notifying a facility or homeowner
where a troop has met
- Alerting the state department of
health.
Let other volunteers know that council staff, NOT volunteers,
will notify parents and others about a positive test result and that
the tester’s identity is confidential. Remember that girl and
volunteer health information is private and strictly confidential and
should be only shared on a need to know basis with a council staff member.
