Our COVID-19 Response
Camp Menesetung’s Covid-19 Response
November 2023 Update
With the pandemic behind us we look forward to a season without any COVID-19 specific restrictions! Stay healthy everyone!
November 2022 Update
Looking ahead to our 2023 Season, our Board of Directors met, reviewed current recommendations, and came to the following decision regarding COVID-19 prevention requirements:
Effective immediately, COVID-19 Vaccination is not required to register for any program. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and follow any safety directives recommended to us by public health. Depending on the situation as the summer approaches, we commit to providing clear communication about any expected COVID-19 prevention protocols which we may impose.
June 21, 2022 Update
The following COVID-19 Summer Camp COVID-19 Prevention Policies were developed by our Board of Directors in consultation with public health, and are subject to change.
COVID-19 Prevention Protocols in place for Overnight Camp & Bridge Camp:
Essentially: Close our gates as tight as we can to COVID-19, reduce the chance of spread at camp while prioritizing environmental controls over behavioral measures, and once everyone is in, relax and live life at camp!
COVID-19 vaccination required for all overnight camps for campers and staff (2 doses, or 1 dose within 3 months prior to the start of the camp week), unless the camper/staff has a medical exemption (note from a doctor), or if camper has not yet turned 5.
Prior to leaving home to come to camp, campers and staff should screen for symptoms of COVID-19 and stay home if they are sick/fail the screening
Upon arrival at camp, all staff and campers will undergo a rapid antigen test (shallow nasal swab), and be welcomed into camp upon a negative test result.
Most activities will take place outdoors!
Daily morning symptom screening
As a result of the safety protocols above, masking will be optional when outdoors, indoors, or mixing with other cabin groups, unless we move into our COVID-19 Outbreak protocol.
COVID-19 Prevention Protocols in place for Day Camp:
Prior to leaving home to come to camp each day, campers and staff should screen for symptoms of COVID-19 and stay home if they are sick/fail the screening
Nearly all of our time with day campers will be spent outside!
Day campers will not mix with overnight campers while indoors
As a result of the safety protocols above, masking will be optional when outdoors, indoors, or mixing with other day campers, unless we move into our COVID-19 Outbreak protocol.
Please see the update below with some of the reasoning behind requiring vaccination for overnight campers at this time.
March 30, 2022 Update
Following advice from health authorities (Public Health Ontario, and National Advisory Committee on Immunization) and looking ahead to the potential of a 6th wave of COVID-19 featuring the more contagious Omicron BA-2 variant this Spring. The Camp Menesetung Board of Directors made decisions around requiring COVID-19 Vaccinations for all Camp Staff & Overnight Campers who do not have medical exemptions for Summer 2022, as can be seen in the document to the right. Vaccination is encouraged, but not required, for day campers and guests.
These decisions will be reviewed in June and may be reversed at that time if public health trends are progressing favourably. Other safety measures will also be in-place and will be communicated as plans are confirmed closer to the start of programs.
In addition to recommendations from public health, why was it determined that a vaccination requirement for Overnight Campers be necessary?
As a camp that serves many high-risk staff members, campers, and families we believe it is our mission to provide as safe a space as we possibly can.
Overnight camp poses a higher risk environment for viral spread than day camp or schools because of the indoor close-quarter sleeping arrangements with diverse groups of people from across the province.
We know that current variants of COVID-19 will be more challenging to ensure they do not enter our gates than the Delta Variant we were dealing with in Summer 2021. This is because the variants are more contagious, PCR testing no longer an option, and rapid testing less reliable.
While 2-dose vaccination for COVID-19 is not a silver bullet when it comes to dramatically reducing transmissibility of COVID-19, especially when compared with 3rd-dose vaccination. We know that it is a tool that does have some impact on transmissibility, with proven abilities to reduce symptom severity/viral load, and length of time the virus is being carried by someone.
In summary, a 2-dose vaccination requirement for overnight campers is a tool that provides some protective benefit when it comes to reducing transmissibility of COVID-19 at camp, a tool we can use to ensure that camp is as safe as possible in our highest risk setting, to protect our community during a pandemic. 3rd-dose vaccination encouraged!
November 1, 2021 Update
After a very successful Summer 2021 Season running adapted in-person Overnight and Day Camp programs with many protocols in place and zero cases of COVID-19. Our 2022 Season is looking to be even more normal!
For 2022 we intend to operate in-person Spring School Field Trips, Rental/Retreat Groups, Summer Overnight Camp/Day Camp/Bridge Camp Programs under the Overnight Camp and Day Camp requirements found in the guidance documents provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health, with the support of the Huron-Perth Public Health Unit, and with the guidance of the Ontario Camping Association.
Program specific COVID-19 adaptations will be developed and announced in Spring of 2022. Please see our COVID-19 safety plan below for more information.
July 1, 2021 Update
Our COVID-19 Safety plan has been finalized and approved with Huron Perth Public Health, based on the Overnight Camp and Day Camp COVID-19 Guidance documents put out by the Ontario Ministry of Health.
June 1, 2021 Update
This summer we will run as an in-person adapted Overnight Camp, Day Camp, and Bridge Camp following the new Overnight and Day Camp Guidance developed by the Ontario Ministry of Health.
We are currently in the midst of finalizing our safety plans with our health inspector and will update this page, and our Summer FAQ page once we have done so.
April 2021 Update
November 2020 Update
After a great deal of research and learning we are excited to unveil our Summer 2021 Scenarios and Approaches that we will continue to update and adapt as we seek advice from Huron Perth Public Health and learn the best ways to make summer camp possible in a safe way during a pandemic.
September 2020 Update
After an eventful season re-imagining our spring & summer programs online, working with the health unit to facilitate our on-site team safely work together and coordinate maintenance volunteers. In light of the second wave of COVID-19 in Ontario we have cancelled all of our in-person events in the Fall, including re-imagining our November Fundraiser Concert into an online concert experience. We look towards Spring/Summer 2021 with hope and a keen eye on how the school system fares.
Planning for our 2021 season is currently underway with a concrete update on our Spring & Summer scenarios expected in late November 2020.
May 2020 Announcement
Summer 2020 Essential Facts:
All events until August 2020 have either been Cancelled, Postponed, or Re-Imagined Online.
All Summer Camp Programs have been moved online to ‘Camp Menesetung @ Home’
Parents of currently registered campers will be contacted personally with options, including:
Registering for Camp Menesetung @ Home & Receiving remaining balance as a refund
Crediting Registration to 2021
Donating a portion of the registration to Camp Menesetung, and receiving remainder as a refund
Receiving a full refund
The entire Spring Staff Team & a Portion of the Summer Staff Team has been laid off.
Camp Menesetung is currently in a position where we may lose up to 80% of our annual income. Challenging times for a charity with year-round expenses & a Spring/Summer income. Donations Welcome.
April 2020 Announcement