The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated guidance on Saturday for the operation of youth and summer camps for the upcoming season.

Running themes through these guidelines include keeping activities outdoors, wearing masks whenever possible and maintaining proper physical distance.

One highlight from the guidance is that the CDC urges each camp to have an Emergency Operations Plan in place to address each of the following topics:

  • Strongly encouraging vaccination for all eligible people
  • Health screening for symptoms of COVID-19 and diagnostic or screening testing for COVID-19
  • Using multiple prevention strategies including masks, physical distancing and cohorting, residential housing arrangements for overnight camps, and improved ventilation
  • Reviewing safety protocols for staff and campers who might be at higher-risk of serious health effects if they contract COVID-19
  • Modifying camp activities to promote outdoor and other lower-risk activities
  • Traveling to and from overnight camp
  • Cleaning facilities and equipment
  • Proper use of personal protective equipment by any healthcare staff
  • Policies and practices that enable staff to stay home when they are sick, have been exposed, or are caring for someone who is sick
  • Policies and practices that allow families flexibility if campers have symptoms or test positive before arriving at camp
  • Managing suspect or confirmed case(s), including contact tracing efforts
  • Planning for an outbreak

In general, children going to camp this summer must remain three feet from each other in same-group settings and must wear masks at all times. The only times they should remove their masks is when they are swimming, napping, eating or drinking.

For more information on the CDC's updated guidance, visit here.