Coronavirus Update: State Economic Forecast, Summer Camp Guidelines

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House Speaker Tina Kotek

Coronavirus Update: State Economic Forecast, Summer Camp Guidelines

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Today, the state’s economist gave the first economic forecast since the pandemic hit Oregon a couple of months ago.

Whether you’ve lost your job, feared for the safety of loved ones, or are simply feeling the daily stress that comes along with Stay Home, Save Lives – we’ve all been feeling the impacts of the coronavirus for months.

So, in some ways, the update we heard today from economic experts updating Oregon’s revenue forecast tells us what Oregonians already know: this pandemic has taken a devastating toll on our communities and our economy.

I want to let you know that I will fight to make sure Oregon’s recovery from this crisis doesn’t leave anyone behind.

First of all, we cannot fix the economy if we don’t manage the public health crisis first. Everyone wants life to return to normal, but it will be in our long-term economic interest to continue listening to public health experts to guide us through the reopening.

Here is what state economist Mark McMullin said today about the link between public health and the economy: “A return to normal in the health outlook is vital for this economic outlook. I think the two are tied together very tightly.”

Second, we need to take the lessons learned from the Great Recession and do more to protect workers and vulnerable Oregonians. Budgets are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. Budgets are about people, our communities, and our collective well-being. We must rebuild an economy that promotes success for everyone.

Finally, our state is in a far better financial position than it was at the start of the Great Recession. We have strong reserves that should be tapped early to avoid additional damage to our economy. I also believe increased bonding for public infrastructure will help to jumpstart the economy and put people back to work.

The state will rebalance its budget carefully and strategically. Together, Oregon will survive this challenge and thrive again soon.


Summer Camp Guidelines

Over the last week, I’ve been providing updated guidance from the Oregon Health Authority for how different sectors must operate as we slowly reopen the state. Today, we’ll be looking at summer camps.

First, though, I want to alert you to new guidance from the Oregon Department of Education for distance learning and limited in-person instruction through the summer. The scope of this guidance is broad, and it addresses summer school, summer bridge programs, extended school year, and enrichment programs. The document is 21 pages, and you can access the link here.

For summer camps, all programs are required to have a written communicable disease management plan that must include:  protocols to notify the Local Public Health Authority (LPHA) of any confirmed COVID-19 cases among campers or staff; a process and record keeping to assist the LPHA as needed with contact tracing; a protocol for screening campers and staff for symptoms; a protocol to restrict from camp any ill or exposed person; and possible cessation of camp activities.

The full guidelines are available here, including what to do about field trips, food service, and screening for symptoms.


Here is general guidance for how summer camps must operate:

  • Camps must frequently remind all staff and parents to keep themselves and their children home with any illness involving fever, new cough, or shortness of breath.
  • Individuals should stay and remain home for at least 10 days after illness onset and until 72 hours after fever is gone, without use of fever reducing medicine, and COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, and diarrhea) are improving.
  • Camps must provide handwashing and facilities, tissues, and garbage receptacles that are easily accessible to both children and staff.
  • All persons in the camp should be advised and encouraged to wash their hands frequently (e.g., after using the restroom, before and after meals, after coming inside, after sneezing, blowing the nose, or coughing) with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Except when eating, preparing, or serving food and after using the restroom, alcohol-based hand-sanitizing products (60 to 95%) may be used as an alternative to handwashing. If soap and water is not feasible (e.g. back country camp), alcohol-based hand sanitizing products may be used; however, every effort should be made to facilitate soap and water handwashing. Hand sanitizer must be stored out of reach of students younger than 5 years of age when not in use.
  • Staff and campers should be reminded frequently of the importance of respiratory etiquette as outlined below:
    • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow;
    • Throw any used tissue away immediately into a garbage receptacle; and
    • Clean hands after covering coughs and sneezes, and after throwing away used tissues.
  • Children over the age of 2 may wear face masks if under close adult supervision.
  • Children of any age should not wear a face covering:
    • If they have a medical condition that makes it difficult for them to breathe with a face covering;
    • If they have a disability that prevents them from wearing a face covering;
    • If they are unable to remove the face covering independently; or
    • While sleeping.
  • Face coverings cannot be required for use by children and should never prohibit or prevent access to instruction or activities.
  • To minimize contact during drop-off and pick-up, allow parents to remain outside of the building for sign-in and sign-out of their children. Consider staggering dropoff and pick-up times and prevent contamination from touch points (writing implements, clip boards, etc.).

Here is how summer camps must handle physical distancing:

  • Camps must be limited to maximum stable groups of 10 or fewer children (“stable” means the same 10 or fewer children in the group each day).
    • The stable group may change no more frequently than once per week (e.g. for camps operating on a weekly schedule).
    • Half-day camps hosting different morning and afternoon groups may be offered. Sanitation measures must be taken between these sessions. A space may hold a maximum of 2 stable cohorts per day.
    • Before and after care must be carefully managed to maintain campers in the same stable cohort in which they will spend their day.
    • A camp can have multiple stable groups of 10 if the camp facility or site can accommodate physical distancing for the number of campers hosted (a minimum of 35 square feet per camper for indoor spaces; a minimum of 75 square feet per camper for outdoor spaces), and campers’ access to or utilization of cabins, tents, meals, restrooms, showers and activities happens within a stable group of 10.
    • Stable cohorts consist of campers and staff; the number of staff needed/necessary for a cohort does not count to the total of 10. Staff should remain with a single cohort as much as is practicable and feasible. Staff who do interact with multiple stable cohorts should wear a face mask and wash/sanitize their hands between stable cohort interaction.
    • Before and After care: Stable groups should include the same campers during before care, during the camp day, and during after care. Campers should always be in stable groups, even if there is only one of them in before or after care.
  • Camps must ensure that each stable group remains in the same indoor physical space each day and does not intermingle with any other group.
  • The number of staff interacting with each group of children should be minimized; staff should be dedicated to a single group and not move between groups if at all possible. If “floater staff” or different staff rotate with the stable group, they should be sure to sanitize their hands prior to entering the space with the stable group of children, and staff should wear face covering. Similarly, if guest speakers come in, they should sanitize their hands on entering and exiting and wear face coverings.
  • Daily activities and curriculum should support physical distancing, striving to maintain at least 6 feet between individuals. For example, adjust program in the following ways:
    • Eliminate large group activities (larger than stable cohort)
    • Increase the distance between children during table work
    • Plan activities that do not require close physical contact among multiple campers
    • If at all possible, designate equipment (e.g., art supplies, musical instruments balls, mitts, etc.) solely for the use by a single cohort and sanitize between practices or uses. If equipment must be shared between cohorts, it must be sanitized before and after each use by a stable cohort.
    • Minimize time standing in lines and take steps to ensure that 6 feet of distance between the campers is maintained.
    • Restrict non-essential visitors and volunteers.
    • Activities that include brass or woodwind instruments should increase physical distance as these instruments may disperse respiratory droplets farther than 6 feet.
  • Parents or other visitors may only come to camp for special events (e.g., theater productions, sports games) if 6 feet distancing between all persons can be maintained. Visitors should wear face coverings and sanitize their hands when they enter.

And, here is how summer camps must handle cleaning:

  • Clean, sanitize, and disinfect frequently touched surfaces (for example, playground equipment, stationary climbing frames, door handles, sink handles, drinking fountains, transport vehicles) multiple times per day
  • Avoid use of items (for example, soft or plush toys) that are not easily cleaned, sanitized, or disinfected.
  • Ensure safe and correct application of disinfectants and keep these products away from children following labeling direction as specified by the manufacturer.
  • Ensure that ventilation systems operate properly and increase circulation of outdoor air as much as possible by opening windows and doors, using fans, and other methods.
    • Do not open windows and doors if doing so poses a safety or health risk (for example, allowing pollen in or exacerbating asthma symptoms) to children using the facility

Summertime day camps are an important enrichment activity for school-aged children and are also an important source of child care for many working parents. With care and planning, summer camp programs will be able to open and operate safely across the state.


The Latest News

  • The Oregon Health Authority released figures showing coronavirus testing capacity has increased substantially, by about 70%. Oregon can now perform 38,000 tests per week. This is tremendous news because more testing allows the state to track and contain the spread of the virus. The Oregonian has more details here.
  • Governor Kate Brown announced today that Marion and Polk counties can begin entering Phase I of reopening on Friday, May 22 under her framework for building a safe and strong Oregon.
  • The Oregon Health Authority reported 65 more confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 3,701 confirmed cases. The agency also announced 10 new presumptive cases. There are 3,801 confirmed and presumptive cases combined. Sadly, four more people have died, meaning there have been 144 confirmed deaths in Oregon from coronavirus.

OHA COVID-19 Update 5-20-2020

OHA Hospital Capacity 5-20-2020

To read past newsletters, you can go to this link. For up to date information, please check this link to the Oregon Health Authority where regular updates are posted: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/News-Releases.aspx

Please email me at Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov if you have specific concerns that have not been addressed by the OHA. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.

Thank you for reading! We will get through this together.

Best,

Tina

Tina Kotek

State Representative
House District 44
Speaker of the House

email: Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1200
address: 900 Court St NE, H-269, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek