Will children successfully be able to wear face masks all day at school? Camp Carson says yes

Camp Carson is a decades long summer tradition for school-aged children in the capital city. Every year children can be seen at Mills Park, the Carson City Community Center, the Carson City Aquatic Center, or around town attending various field trips, identifiable by their matching, brightly colored t-shirts.

When COVID-19 came to town, there was a question as to whether Camp Carson would survive. But luckily, the governor's Phase Two mandate came just in time, allowing the kids to attend their camps, with a stipulation that all children must be wearing face masks and/or social distancing.

As the school reopening date draws closer in Carson City, there's been many discussions as to whether or not expecting children to wear face coverings is a viable option.

However, children are notoriously adaptable to different situations, and according to Carson City Parks, Recreation and Open Space Recreation Superintendent Dan Earp, the children at Camp Carson have been successfully wearing their face masks and social distancing all summer long.

"The kids are wearing masks all the time and they are doing a pretty good job of keeping them on all the time," said Earp. "Obviously our staff need to remind them to keep their masks over their faces from time to time, especially the younger ones, but I have been pleasantly surprised at how good the kids have done with wearing masks."

The face masks haven't stopped the children from their normal day to day routines, although swim lessons and field trips were removed from the program this year due to COVID-19. A group of Wagoneers were spotted around lunch time running and playing some form of rock-paper-scissors tag with face-masks on, with apparently no discomfort.

Parents received a "Parent Handbook" at the beginning of the summer with the following information as to what Camp Carson was doing to make sure that campers were staying healthy:

• Program hours will be from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Drop off times are from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Parents will not be allowed to drop their children off after 9 a.m.

• Parents will need to ensure that anyone they want to pick up their child is an authorized pick-up.

• We ask that parents please notify staff if any children that are participating in the program developed symptoms or have been potentially exposed.

• Staff will be in PPE and taking temperatures of children and staff with non-contact thermometers when they arrive in the morning for check-ins. If a temperature is 100 degrees or more than an oral thermometer will be used. Staff and Children that have a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher will be asked to return home until they are fever and symptoms free. Staff will also ask staff and parents questions regarding COVID-19. If they answer yes to any of the questions, then staff and children will not be able to enter the program until resolved.

• If children are sick, staff will have children enter an isolation area and staff will call parents to have them pick up their child.

• All staff will wear masks when working with the public and we encourage all children to bring and wear masks to the Camp Carson program and Parents when dropping off and picking up.

• Staff will have children wash their hands through every transition period.

• Staff will encourage children to wear masks, keeps hands to themselves, sanitize hands, not share equipment and maintain 6 feet from each other.

• We will maintain groups of no more than 50 people including adults and children. We will maintain same groups throughout the duration of camp.

• Water fountains will not be available to use. Please ensure that your child brings their own water bottle. If they run out of water, staff will help fill up the water bottle.

• Staff will ensure that children wash their hands before and after their meal.

• Children will not be allowed to share food.

• Staff serving any food will be required to wear PPE.

• Staff will sanitize tables before and after meals.

• Staff will provide children with personal storage space for their personal belongings.

• No field trips will not be provided for the Camp Carson program.

• There will be no swimming lessons and open swim for the Camp Carson program.

• There will be no guest speakers for the Camp Carson program.

• Parents will not be allowed to collect their children for the group. They will have to wait at the check-in/check-out table and wait for a staff member to bring their child to them.

• Staff will be routinely disinfecting hi touch areas.

The strict camp regulations have seemed to be successful, because no COVID-19 cases have been found with any campers or staff.

"Fortunately, to date, we have not dealt with any exposures within the program," said Earp.

This is good news for Carson City students planning on returning to school. While the school district is not enforcing as strict protocols on students, for example, they won't be testing temperatures of students, the fact that the Camp Carson children have done so well wearing their masks and maintaining social distancing sets a positive precedent as students transition into school.