Coronavirus has closed some camps for good. It’s made it harder for the rest of them to survive.
BY MORGAN LEE
2020 has been a year unlike any other for Christian summer camps. Here’s how CT captured the situation in a recent report:
Like most businesses and ministries across the country, Christian camps felt the economic halt right away. Church retreats and events were called off in March, April, and May due to bans on mass gatherings across the states. Before long, camps were forced to grapple with the unimaginable: no summer camp.
By May’s end, more than 100 Christian camps had announced cancellations. Most of the rest made dramatic changes to summer programming. Summer camp can represent half of a camp’s annual revenue or more, so skipping it for a year comes as a massive financial blow.
Many Christian camps did cancel their summers. Some canceled and then reversed course. Some held programming all summer.
This has been a very difficult summer. We’ve got camps that have been open continuously, even through WWI and WWII, closed down for the first time this summer,” said Jacob Sorenson, the director of Sacred Playgrounds, a ministry offering research and training to camps and congregations. “It’s been a very difficult time for the industry as a whole, including secular camps.”
One added challenge for Christian summer camps has been politics.
“Christian camps are again caught in this political environment where the ones that have a constituency that tends to be conservative have been under a lot of pressure to open up,” said Sorenson, who researches camping ministry and who contributed to the previously mentioned CT article. “While the ones that have a constituency that tends to be more progressive or Democratic-leaning have been under pressure to close down. And it’s made it very difficult for camp directors to make a good decision for the health of their camp communities.”
Dr. Aaron Glatt, a Woodmere resident who is the chair of the Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, issued a letter to the Five Towns communities noting that the Nassau County health commissioner called him and asked for his help concerning eight cases of “newly diagnosed Covid-19” in the Five Towns from “campers returning from Camp Shoresh in Pennsylvania.”
Glatt also wrote: “In addition, many other campers there had symptoms and were not tested for Covid-19. The PA DOH [Department of Health] is already involved as well.”
He stated that because of “significant concerns” that New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state’s DOH have regarding exposure, Glatt said that all campers returning from that camp should self-quarantine immediately. All family members exposed to those children should also quarantine, he said.
“The governor himself is aware and has expressed great concern about this exposure and the potential this might have regarding delaying school openings,” Glatt wrote, adding that everything possible should be done to avert an outbreak, and the campers or their family members should be attending shul or any other community events.
Michael Leon, who lives in Woodmere where the largest initial outbreak of Cobid-19 took place in the Five Towns posted on Facebook. “This is outrageous. Camp Shoresh apparently knew campers were displaying symptoms and did not have the courtesy to have them tested.” Leon went on to write that, “unfortunately some people in this community just do not take this issue seriously enough.”
On Camp Shoresh’s website there is a six-page listing of its Covid-19 protocols. According to its mission it is, “a camp for teenage boys, focused on helping mold well rounded Bnei-Torah and athletes.” The goal, camp officials stated on the site is to teach the fundamentals of several sports through daily clinics, leagues, and intercamps with role models and teachers. The camp aims to combine Torah, sports and fun trips and activities designed to ensure an “incredible summer experience” for the campers.
As of press time calls to the camp for comment were not returned.
As a member of our Woodward community, we want to let you know that a camper who attended skateboard camp week #8 (July 26 – August 1, 2020) has tested positive for COVID-19. We understand how important it is to share information like this and that it serves as a reminder of just how vigilant we must remain.
Summer camp is open and your camp week will proceed as scheduled. We will continue to coordinate with county/local health officials and follow all mandates, guidelines and recommended best practices. We invite you to learn more about our COVID-19 protocols by viewing the health safety plan provided HERE on our website, however there is no fail safe against exposure to the coronavirus, at Woodward or anywhere.
Important information and dates to be aware of:
The camper who tested positive attended Week #8 (July 26 – August 1, 2020).
Positive test results reported to Woodward PA on August 4, 2020 were immediately reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Any camper or staff member that was a “close contact” with the camper who has tested positive has been notified directly.
A “close contact” is defined by the Centre County Health Department as anyone that spent more than 15 minutes with a person within a distance of less than 6 feet.
We are following all Pennsylvania and Centre County Health Department guidelines for quarantine of close contacts and any and all return to work policies.
We continue to work with the Centre County and State of Pennsylvania authorities, follow all proper procedures and take every appropriate precaution, including sharing this information so that you may manage your healthcare during this unprecedented time.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at office@woodwardcamp.com with any questions you may have. Thank you for your understanding as we continue to navigate this dynamic situation.
Christine M. Szablewski, DVM1,2; Karen T. Chang, PhD2,3; Marie M. Brown, MPH1; Victoria T. Chu, MD2,3; Anna R. Yousaf, MD2,3; Ndubuisi Anyalechi, MD1; Peter A. Aryee, MBA1; Hannah L. Kirking, MD2; Maranda Lumsden1; Erin Mayweather1; Clinton J. McDaniel, MPH2; Robert Montierth, PharmD2; Asfia Mohammed1; Noah G. Schwartz, MD2,3; Jaina A. Shah1; Jacqueline E. Tate, PhD2; Emilio Dirlikov, PhD2; Cherie Drenzek, DVM1; Tatiana M. Lanzieri, MD2; Rebekah J. Stewart, MSN, MPH2 (View author affiliations)View suggested citationArticle Metric
Limited data are available about transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), among youths. During June 17–20, an overnight camp in Georgia (camp A) held orientation for 138 trainees and 120 staff members; staff members remained for the first camp session, scheduled during June 21–27, and were joined by 363 campers and three senior staff members on June 21. Camp A adhered to the measures in Georgia’s Executive Order* that allowed overnight camps to operate beginning on May 31, including requiring all trainees, staff members, and campers to provide documentation of a negative viral SARS-CoV-2 test ≤12 days before arriving. Camp A adopted most† components of CDC’s Suggestions for Youth and Summer Camps§ to minimize the risk for SARS-CoV-2 introduction and transmission. Measures not implemented were cloth masks for campers and opening windows and doors for increased ventilation in buildings. Cloth masks were required for staff members. Camp attendees were cohorted by cabin and engaged in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, including daily vigorous singing and cheering. On June 23, a teenage staff member left camp A after developing chills the previous evening. The staff member was tested and reported a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 the following day (June 24). Camp A officials began sending campers home on June 24 and closed the camp on June 27. On June 25, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) was notified and initiated an investigation. DPH recommended that all attendees be tested and self-quarantine, and isolate if they had a positive test result.
A line list of all attendees was obtained and matched to laboratory results from the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System¶ and data from DPH case investigations. A COVID-19 case associated with the camp A outbreak was defined as a positive viral SARS-CoV-2 test** in a camp A attendee from a specimen collected or reported to DPH from the first day at camp A (June 17 for staff members and trainees; June 21 for campers) through 14 days after leaving camp A (trainees left on June 21; staff members and campers left during June 24–June 27). Out-of-state attendees (27) were excluded from this preliminary analysis. Attack rates were calculated by dividing the number of persons with positive test results by the total number of Georgia attendees, including those who did not have testing results, because negative test results are not consistently reported in Georgia.
A total of 597 Georgia residents attended camp A. Median camper age was 12 years (range = 6–19 years), and 53% (182 of 346) were female. The median age of staff members and trainees was 17 years (range = 14–59 years), and 59% (148 of 251) were female. Test results were available for 344 (58%) attendees; among these, 260 (76%) were positive. The overall attack rate was 44% (260 of 597), 51% among those aged 6–10 years, 44% among those aged 11–17 years, and 33% among those aged 18–21 years (Table). Attack rates increased with increasing length of time spent at the camp, with staff members having the highest attack rate (56%). During June 21–27, occupancy of the 31 cabins averaged 15 persons per cabin (range = 1–26); median cabin attack rate was 50% (range = 22%–70%) among 28 cabins that had one or more cases. Among 136 cases with available symptom data, 36 (26%) patients reported no symptoms; among 100 (74%) who reported symptoms, those most commonly reported were subjective or documented fever (65%), headache (61%), and sore throat (46%).
The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, attack rates presented are likely an underestimate because cases might have been missed among persons not tested or whose test results were not reported. Second, given the increasing incidence of COVID-19 in Georgia in June and July, some cases might have resulted from transmission occurring before or after camp attendance.†† Finally, it was not possible to assess individual adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures at camp A, including physical distancing between, and within, cabin cohorts and use of cloth masks, which were not required for campers.
These findings demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 spread efficiently in a youth-centric overnight setting, resulting in high attack rates among persons in all age groups, despite efforts by camp officials to implement most recommended strategies to prevent transmission. Asymptomatic infection was common and potentially contributed to undetected transmission, as has been previously reported (1–4). This investigation adds to the body of evidence demonstrating that children of all ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection (1–3) and, contrary to early reports (5,6), might play an important role in transmission (7,8). The multiple measures adopted by the camp were not sufficient to prevent an outbreak in the context of substantial community transmission. Relatively large cohorts sleeping in the same cabin and engaging in regular singing and cheering likely contributed to transmission (9). Use of cloth masks, which has been shown to reduce the risk for infection (10), was not universal. An ongoing investigation will further characterize specific exposures associated with infection, illness course, and any secondary transmission to household members. Physical distancing and consistent and correct use of cloth masks should be emphasized as important strategies for mitigating transmission in congregate settings.
As a member of our Woodward community, we want to let you know that a camper who attended gymnastics camp week #7 has tested positive for COVID-19; this individual was part of the purple cohort group. We understand how important it is to share information like this and that it serves as a reminder of just how vigilant we must remain.
Summer camp is open and your camp week will proceed as scheduled. We will continue to coordinate with county/local health officials and follow all mandates, guidelines and recommended best practices. We invite you to learn more about our COVID-19 protocols by viewing the health and safety plan and parent guide posted HERE on our website, however there is no fail safe against exposure to the coronavirus, at Woodward or anywhere.
Important information and dates to be aware of:
The camper who has since tested positive attended Week #7 (July 19-25, 2020).
Camper is asymptomatic with no symptoms reported.
Positive test results reported to Woodward PA on July 30, 2020, and were immediately reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Any camper or staff member that was a “close contact” with the camper who has tested positive has been notified directly via phone and is in precautionary quarantine at home.
A “close contact” is defined by the Centre County Health Department as anyone that spent more than 15 minutes with a person within a distance of less than 6 feet.
We are following all Pennsylvania and Centre County Health Department guidelines for quarantine of close contacts and any and all return to work policies.
We will continue to work with the Centre County and State of Pennsylvania Health Departments, follow all proper procedures and take every appropriate precaution, including sharing this information so that you may manage your healthcare during this unprecedented time.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at office@woodwardcamp.com with any questions you may have. Thank you for your understanding as we continue to navigate this dynamic situation.
A new report suggests that children of all ages are susceptible to coronavirus infection and may also spread it to others — a finding likely to intensify an already fraught discussion about the risks of sending children back to school this fall.
The analysis, released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, details an outbreak at a sleep-away camp in Georgia last month in which 260 children and staffers — more than three-quarters of the 344 tested — contracted the virus less than a week after spending time together in close quarters. The children had a median age of 12. The camp had required all 597 campers and staff members to provide documentation that they had tested negative for the virus before coming. Staff were required to wear masks, but children were not.
While similar clusters have occurred around funerals, weddings, teenage parties and adult gatherings throughout the pandemic, few super-spreading events have been documented among children.AD
The report is likely to add fuel to an already polarizing nationwide discussion about whether sending children back to crowded school buildings is worth the risk, in large part because so little data has been available about children’s vulnerability to the infection and their ability to transmit the virus.
Teachers worry about the fall: ‘We’re talking about actual human lives’As states decide whether to open schools in the fall, teachers across the country worry their lives are being put at risk. (James Cornsilk, Joyce Koh, Ashleigh Joplin/The Washington Post)
“To me, this is a significant weight added to the side of the scale that says close the schools,” said Andrew Noymer, an epidemiologist at the University of California at Irvine. While he added that children probably spend more time in close proximity at sleep-away camp than they do at school, “it’s solid evidence to suggest we should be extremely cautious about opening schools.”
The Trump administration has pushed in recent weeks for schools to reopen, while many states and major cities — including D.C. — have announced they will resume online-only to begin the year. “I do say again, young people are almost immune to this disease. The younger the better,” President Trump said Thursday during a White House briefing. “They’re stronger. They have a stronger immune system.”AD
Advocates of reopening schools for in-person instruction argue that early research shows children are less prone to infection and severe outcomes from the virus than adults are. While data continues to support that idea, little had been known about the extent to which children could transmit it — particularly when they are not showing symptoms.
According to the report released Friday, the outbreak at the camp, identified only as “Camp A,” suggests that children “might play an important role in transmission.”
“These findings demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 spread efficiently in a youth-centric overnight setting, resulting in high attack rates among people in all age groups, despite efforts by camp officials to implement most recommended strategies to prevent transmission,” the report said.
“Asymptomatic infection was common and potentially contributed to undetected transmission, as has been previously reported. This investigation adds to the body of evidence demonstrating that children of all ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.”AD
The CDC released a separate statement with a headline about “the importance of CDC mitigation strategies,” rather than about the incident’s implications for viral transmission in children. The statement noted that by not requiring campers to wear masks or airing out cabins, the camp had not followed CDC reopening guidance, and it pointed to “daily vigorous singing and shouting” as potential contributing factors.
“Correct and consistent use of cloth masks, rigorous cleaning and sanitizing, social distancing, and frequent hand-washing strategies, which are recommended in CDC’s recently released guidance to reopen America’s schools, are critical to prevent transmission of the virus in settings involving children and are our greatest tools to prevent covid-19,” the statement read.
Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins, wrote in an email that she would like to see data from camps where children wore masks and whether they fared better.AD
“To me, this outbreak reinforces the importance of mitigation measures in classrooms and child-care settings,” Rivers wrote. “Physical distancing, mask use by students and teachers, hygiene and ventilation will all be critical to reducing risk for classrooms that do reopen in person.”
Noymer also noted that many school officials say they will require students, as well as teachers, to wear masks. But skeptics point out that children are unlikely to be diligent mask-wearers or social distancers, so reopening plans that include those measures in theory may not have them in actuality.
Authors of the CDC report noted that the study was limited by its data set, which includes tests of only 344 of the campers and staffers, and therefore could be missing cases. In addition, since Georgia experienced a jump in coronavirus transmission over the summer, some campers may have caught the virus before arriving. The CDC report acknowledged that it could not determine which campers did and did not adhere to recommendations for physical distancing, which also limits the kind of conclusions that can be drawn from the data.AD
Tara Smith, an epidemiologist at Kent State University, acknowledged that some data missing from the study — including detailed tracking of which infected children spent time around others and for how long — limits the extent to which the study can be used to draw specific conclusions, but it does suggest that more outbreaks could center on children the more they are in close proximity.
“I think what it shows is that kids definitely can be infected with this, apparently can spread this,” Smith said. “I think when we get kids back into their normal social networks, we’re going to see more of these.”
The Georgia camp had opened in two phases, according to the report: An orientation for 138 trainees and 120 staffers occurred June 17 through June 20. A total of 363 campers and three senior staffers joined on June 21. On June 23, a teenage staffer left after developing chills and subsequently tested positive for the coronavirus.AD
Camp officials began sending campers home June 24 and closed the camp on June 27.
Of those who were tested and came up positive, 231 were age 17 or younger; the remaining 29 were adults. Data about symptoms was available for only 136 patients: About a quarter, or 36 people, reported no symptoms; 100 children and staff members (74 percent) reported symptoms, including fever (65 percent), headache (61 percent) and sore throat (46 percent).
Our top priority at Woodward PA is, and continues to be, the safety and well-being of employees, guests and the local community. As a member of our Woodward community we want to let you know that two staff members who work in the gymnastics and cheer programs have tested positive for COVID-19. We understand how important it is to share essential information like this and that it serves as a reminder of just how vigilant we must remain.
Summer camp is open and your camp week will proceed as scheduled. We take COVID-19 very seriously and have taken extraordinary measures to keep our guests, staff and community safe, including the COVID-19 protocols and health safety plan provided HERE on our website, however there is no fail safe against exposure to the coronavirus, at Woodward or anywhere.
Important information and dates to be aware of: Positive test results reported to Woodward PA on July 25, 2020, and were immediately reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Any camper or staff member that was a “close contact” with the staff members who have tested positive have been notified directly and are in precautionary quarantine. The staff members did not share a cabin with any campers.
A “close contact” is defined by the Centre County Health Department as anyone that spent more that 15 minutes with a person within a distance of less than 6 feet. We are following all Pennsylvania and Centre County Health Department guidelines for quarantine of close contacts and any and all return to work policies. We will continue to work with the Centre County and State of Pennsylvania Health Departments, follow all proper procedures and take every appropriate precaution, including sharing this information so that you may manage your healthcare during this unprecedented time.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at office@woodwardcamp.com with any questions you may have. Thank you for your understanding as we continue to navigate this dynamic situation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic our top priority at Woodward PA is, and continues to be, the safety and well-being of employees, guests and the local community. Therefore, as a member of our Woodward community we want to be sure you are aware that a staff member who worked during camp weeks #5-6 has tested positive for COVID-19. We understand how important it is to share essential information like this and that it serves as a reminder of just how vigilant we must remain.
Summer camp is open and your camp week will proceed as scheduled. We take COVID-19 very seriously and have taken extraordinary measures to keep our guests, staff and community safe, including the COVID-19 protocols and health safety plan provided? HERE on our website.
Here is some additional information to consider:
Staff member indicated symptoms began on Saturday, July 18, 2020 and has been in self-quarantine since July 18.
Staff member was working on camp grounds Weeks #5-6 (July 5-18, 2020).
Positive test results were reported to Woodward PA staff on July 24, 2020, and were immediately reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The staff member did not share a lodging cabin with any campers or staff.
We will continue to work with the Centre County and State of Pennsylvania Health Departments, follow all proper procedures and take every appropriate precaution, including sharing this information so that you may manage your healthcare during this unprecedented time.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at office@woodwardcamp.com with any questions you may have. Thank you for your understanding as we continue to navigate this dynamic situation.
Woodward PA’s goal is, and continues to be, to keep employees, guests and the local community safe in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, information remains paramount and the sharing of it is essential, and for this reason we want to share information we recently learned with you. Specifically, we want to be sure you are aware that a camper who attended Week #5 scooter camp (July 5-11, 2020) has tested positive for COVID-19. We felt that sharing this information with you, as a member of our community, serves as an important reminder for us all of just how vigilant we must remain.
Summer camp is open and your camp week will proceed as scheduled. The lodging cabin used by the affected camper has been deep cleaned and will remain closed for a total of 14 days. Any campers who previously shared the cabin with the affected camper have left camp grounds. Any staff who shared the cabin with the affected camper left camp, self-quarantined, and were tested for coronavirus with negative results before returning to camp grounds.
We take COVID-19 very seriously and have taken extraordinary measures to keep our guests, staff and community safe, including the COVID-19 protocols and health safety plan provided HERE on our website.
Here is the key information to consider:
Your camper is attending a later week of summer camp
The camper who has since tested positive attended Week #5 (July 5-11, 2020)
Camper indicated symptoms began on Saturday evening, July 11, 2020
Positive test results were reported to Woodward PA staff on July 15, 2020, and were immediately reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health
Any camper who previously lodged in the same cabin as the affected camper has been notified by phone
We will continue to work with the Centre County and State of Pennsylvania Health Departments, follow all proper procedures and take every appropriate precaution, including sharing this information so that you may manage your healthcare during this unprecedented time.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at office@woodwardcamp.com with any questions you may have. Thank you for your understanding as we continue to navigate this dynamic situation.
NO ONE could level an accusation of complacency at Kanakuk Kamps, a network of Christian camps in Missouri that posted a 31-point program of pandemic precautions as summer approached. Despite those preparations, one of its camps, for teenagers, was hit by a major outbreak this summer. That failure, and others like it nationwide, is a warning sign for schools and colleges that hope to reopen this fall.
As we’ve said, there are excellent reasons for schools to do everything possible to reopen. The risk-benefit calculation for education is very different than, say, for filling football stadiums. But as Kanakuk’s cautionary tale makes clear, the risks can’t be minimized.
One usually reads of the peril posed by “enclosed, poorly ventilated” settings. But Kanakuk’s website made it known that every cabin had been outfitted with filtration systems — “NASA developed units [that] provide multiple layers of active defense against airborne viruses and bacteria through active filtration, ionization that deactivates” impure elements. In addition, the camp said, its precautions included documented health screenings; daily temperature checks; highly qualified doctors and nurses; hand sanitizer in all buildings; limited access to camp grounds for outsiders; elaborate quarantine protocols; rigorous cleaning; and stringent limits on touching — even a ban on campers exchanging high-fives and holding hands while saying grace. Before camp started, campers and employees also had been urged to self-isolate for two weeks.AD
None of it worked. On July 2, with the outbreak spreading out of control, Kanakuk’s camp was shut down. Missouri state health officials have since said that more than 80 campers, counselors and staff tested positive for covid-19, and camp officials told families that those infected should quarantine themselves for two weeks — presumably in homes where their parents and siblings will now be at risk.
The Kanakuk camp is located in an area midway between Springfield, Mo., and Fayetteville, Ark., that had been lightly touched by the pandemic before the summer season. Campers and staff came from all over; it’s likely that one or more of them arrived infected with the coronavirus and were the vectors for contagion. What’s striking is how fast the disease spread, and how many were sickened.
That could happen as easily at any school or college, where students, teachers and others attend class after having traveled over the summer, including to parts of the country where coronavirus cases are surging. It highlights the urgency of controlling the spread of the virus in the community at large, something many nations have managed with considerably more success than has the United States.AD
CAMPENINGS 