Over 3.94 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, yet severe illness seems relatively rare among children. Still, the CDC says kids can get sick and spread it to others, so it is good to take precautions and its important to get vaccinated. For those who are fully vaccinated, these guidelines show some real advantages.
The CDC also encouraged everyone 12 years and older to get vaccinated for COVID-19, underscoring that vaccines are safe and effective. It also encouraged camps to develop education materials and promote vaccination among campers and staff. If a camp does have an outbreak, the CDC would like the camp to contact the state or local public health department and work with those experts to isolate people with symptoms and to make sure that those who have symptoms can get tested. The camp should also quarantine any unvaccinated close contacts of anyone who has symptoms.
In general, people don't need to wear masks for outdoor activities, unless the camp is an area with high transmission of the coronavirus. Masks should never be worn during water sports, since a wet mask could make it difficult to breath and wet masks don't work as well. Campers shouldn't sleep in them either.
Weekly screening for staff that isn't fully vaccinated could also help reduce transmission of the virus. Camps should also create flexible and supportive sick leave policies to encourage staff to stay home or out of activities if they are sick.
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