COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines
To promote the health and safety of families and staff, please read this section thoroughly and contact our office with any questions you may have.
Your well-being is very important to us. You are required to review our health and safety recommendations below before arriving at Gwynn Valley Camp.
We have taken reasonable additional measures in an effort to reduce exposure to COVID-19 for all of the Gwynn Valley Camp community. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. An inherent risk* of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any place where people are present. While any person is at risk of potential exposure, senior citizens and guests with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
By coming to Gwynn Valley Camp you are voluntarily assuming all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and any other communicable disease.
The safety of our camp families and staff is always our highest priority. For months now, in addition to our normal summer preparations, we’ve been closely monitoring government and industry directives regarding coronavirus. Gwynn Valley will be following and implementing all applicable North Carolina and Transylvania County requirements regarding COVID-19, and to do so we have developed the following Gwynn Valley COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines. All guests and staff are required to follow these guidelines while at Gwynn Valley. These may change with little advance notice, and in order to continue operating we will have to modify our protocols accordingly, or we may need to cancel a session.
*An inherent risk is a risk that cannot be eliminated.
What is Gwynn Valley doing?
Sanitizing cabins. Each cabin will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized between sessions. During sessions, it will be your family’s responsibility to keep the cabin clean and sanitized (Gwynn Valley staff will not enter cabins during family camp). Cleaning supplies will be provided in your cabin.
Sanitizing public bathrooms. As much as practical, we ask that families use the bathroom in their cabin. There are limited public bathrooms in Gwynn Valley, and we will clean these bathrooms several times a day.
Scheduling and sanitizing showerhouses. Showerhouses will be designated as either male or female, and will be used by only one family at a time. Families will sign up on a registration sheet for shower times. Showerhouses will be cleaned and sanitized several times each day. Showerhouses will have spray bottles of disinfectant; we ask that everyone using a shower spray commonly touched surfaces as they depart.
Sanitizing high-touch objects and surfaces in areas such as the dining hall, pool, waterfront, and other activity areas several times each day.
Providing hand washing sinks and hand sanitizer. There are hand washing sinks outside the dining room, at the Farm, at the Stables, and in all bathrooms. We will provide hand sanitizer at the pool, waterfront, and other activity areas around camp where handwashing is not readily available.
Sanitizing activity areas. Between each activity period, instructors will sanitize commonly touched surfaces and shared equipment at the activity area according to CDC standards.
Staff physical distancing and face coverings. Gwynn Valley instructors will maintain physical distancing between themselves and participants. When this is impossible or impractical, face coverings may be required.
Health screenings
BEFORE CAMP: We will email you a health screening questionnaire prior to your family camp session. Please complete the form for all guests who will be attending.
AT CAMP: All families and staff will be screened when they arrive at camp. If anyone in your family does not meet our health screening criteria upon arrival, you will be asked to be seen by a doctor in order to be cleared to participate in the program. All families will be asked to self-screen daily and report fever or any other COVID-19 symptoms to a director.
STAFF SCREENING: All Gwynn Valley staff will be screened daily for COVID-19 symptoms. If any staff member shows signs of possible COVID-19 infection, they will be quarantined and tested per state and local regulations.
What we ask you to do
Wait. Appropriate physical distancing (6 feet apart) is necessary between all non-family members. Family groups will be seated at least 6 feet from other families during mealtimes, campfires, and other group activities. It is each parent’s responsibility to ensure that their children maintain this distancing. For this reason, one parent must accompany all children throughout your stay.
Wear. Facial masks or coverings should be worn when it is difficult to maintain social distancing, especially indoors. Activity instructors will be wearing masks when appropriate and staff will be required to wear a mask when serving food.
We will require families to wear masks at camp if:
- They present with COVID-like symptoms that cannot be attributed to another illness.
- At any activity where social distancing with the instructor is not possible due to safety equipment.
Wash. Frequent hand-washing is essential. It is important for each guest to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds using soap and water. If soap and water is not available, use hand sanitizer. Wash your hands before eating food, after leaving the dining hall, upon entering your cabin, after contacting frequently touched surfaces, after using the restroom, after using shared equipment, and after coughing/sneezing/blowing your nose. We also recommend that you wash or sanitize your hands prior to entering and while leaving any activity area.
Avoid activities that involve close contact or sharing objects with those outside of your family. These include basketball, volleyball, thunderball, nine-square, Jedi Training Center, ultimate frisbee, soccer, etc.
Respect the risk tolerance of the most cautious individual in our community. Although you may be living in a state or county with more relaxed protections around COVID-19 and social distancing, we are aiming to create an environment that accommodates families with a wide range of risk tolerances. Consider that some people may be in contact with higher risk individuals in their lives back home and/or may work in an environment such as a hospital or nursing home where introducing COVID-19 could be life threatening.
Responding to COVID-19 symptoms before, during, or after camp
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19: fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. Please see the CDC website for a complete list of symptoms as well as a ‘self-checker’ guide.
BEFORE CAMP: We ask all families to screen for symptoms and take temperatures before arrival. If you or a family member develops symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19, we ask that you cancel your family camp stay. We will issue you a full refund or reschedule you to another family camp session later in the summer if spaces are available.
DURING CAMP: Parents and guardians are expected to monitor their family members for COVID-19 symptoms daily. If anyone in your family starts to exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, please notify a camp director immediately and have everyone in your family quarantine in your cabin until you can make arrangements to drive home as soon as possible. A refund will be prorated and issued to your family the unused portion of the family camp fees you paid.
AFTER CAMP: If anyone in your family starts to exhibit COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive within 14 days after attending family camp, we request that you contact us to let us know.
First aid and medical treatment at Family Camp
General first aid supplies will be provided as needed from first aid kits in cabins and at activity areas. Although we may have a nurse or physician on site, the Health Hut will not be open or staffed during your stay. Should you need medical treatment, we will refer you to local medical facilities.
