GSOFCT In-person Troop Activity Reopening Guidelines

These guidelines have been created in accordance with GSUSA guidance and current CDC and Connecticut State guidelines. It is to be expected that these guidelines will change with the uncertain progression of the pandemic and the ever-evolving recommendations from these governing agencies. Please be sure to check the GSOFCT website for the latest COVID-19 updates.

Many of our troops and service units are eager to conduct in-person meetings given that the current state guidelines suggest in-person meetings are now possible. These recommendations serve to illustrate the guidelines under which GSOFCT troops may consider participating in the following:

• In-person Meetings
• Troop Trips
• Service Unit Events and Activities

GSOFCT’s in-person and virtual troop activity guidelines have continued to evolve, following the State of Connecticut and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations outlined in Connecticut’s Reopening Plan.

Consent to Participate

Before troop meetings take place, upon receiving a copy of guidelines/safety measures from the co-leader, the caregiver/parent will be asked to complete and return the COVID-19 Informed Consent Form prior to a girl’s participation at an in-person event. Please be sure to review additional details on the required troop cleaning, mask, social distancing, and troop travel protocols outlined in the Troop Activity Information.

Documentation Prior to Meeting

Any meeting to be held in a location other than your troop’s normal meeting place will require a “Troop Trip Application” form completed.

Any meeting that is to be held on private home property must also complete a Private Residence Authorization Form to be attached to the Troop Trip Application. Among other things, this form alerts the homeowner that their personal homeowner’s insurance is responsible for any accident/incident occurring during an event on their property.  

Private Residence Annual Authorization Form

Logistical Recommendations

At all troop meetings, at any level, the co-leaders are responsible to see that all COVID-19 safety measures, including maximum number of participants, social distancing, wearing of masks, and appropriate hygiene are adhered to.

It is recommended that troops continue to hold periodic virtual meetings through the end of the 2019-2020 membership year in an effort to keep all members safe and healthy and to accommodate those who are not ready to meet in person.

Troop Meeting Size

In-person meetings must strictly follow state guidelines in place at the time of the meeting and as articulated by the State of Connecticut and CDC. For instance, current mandatory limits are 25 persons indoors and 100 persons outdoors. This number will change as the pandemic continue change. It is the responsibility of the co-leader to be aware of all current guidelines. Bookmark this link for the most up-to-date State of Connecticut Guidelines.

Large troops can create ways to break themselves into smaller groups, such as: to gather in age-level groups, use patrols, or gather groups of girls around a particular badge they’d like to work on.

Troop Meeting Space

Whenever possible, GSOFCT strongly suggests that troops meet in outdoor spaces where social distancing can be maintained. Indoor venues must be large enough able to accommodate social distancing measures. Troop co-leaders must receive advance permission from the property owner or the jurisdiction that provides the location.

Troop Meetings in Public Facilities.

Troop volunteers should contact the facility ahead of time and ask:

• Is the space cleaned, and touch surfaces (i.e., tabletops, light switches, chairs, etc.) sanitized, at least daily?
• Who else uses the space (how often, what size is the group)? Is the space cleaned between groups?
• What type of faucets / soap dispensers are available in the restroom (sensory or manual)?
• Are there safety and mask requirements?

Troop co-leaders may need to supplement any practices that are less than required. For example, if the troop arrives after another user, troop volunteers should plan to bring sanitizing wipes to get the space ready for their troop. Another example: if faucets are manual, troop volunteers must take some time to show girls how to shut them off with a paper towel and to use paper towels for doorknobs whenever possible.

Meetings may not be held in fitness centers or gyms because the atmosphere in sports facilities is aerosolizing making them a higher risk for contracting a virus.

Troop Meetings in the Home

During this time, GSOFCT continues to discourage meeting at home due to the increased risk of exposure.

Troop meetings in the backyard of a member home may be allowed if the space is appropriate and the homeowner is aware that their insurance will be covering the gathering.  No pool parties or private pool use is allowed at this time, even in a member’s private pool with a lifeguard on duty.  See above for documentation requirements for meeting on private home property.

Transportation

 Individual parents should drop off and pick up their own girls from meetings. Carpooling and public transportation are not allowed at this time in order to maintain social distancing.

Attendance

Troops must take attendance at each troop meeting or event in order to insure there can be adequate contact tracing if a participant is later diagnosed with Covid-19.  Attendance can be recorded by a troop adult in their person cell phone, on paper and kept in the troop notebook, or recorded in the Volunteer Toolkit.  The troop leadership team is responsible for insuring that this information can be made available if needed.

During the Meeting or Activity

Clarification on Masks & Social Distancing

During all Girl Scout meetings, activities, events that are in person, all participants should wear masks as they arrive and depart.

For outdoor meetings:

Once participants are in their specific location for the duration of the activity, and are socially distanced, they may remove their masks, unless otherwise prohibited by the venue.

Personal space can be shared with others in the same household but socially distanced from others in the group.  All participants but must put their masks back on when moving to a new location, getting supplies, going to the restroom etc. if others are present. Social distancing is defined as at least 6 feet between participants of family groups. Any participant that wishes to keep their face covered during troop activities will be respected.

For indoor meetings:

All participants at an indoor meeting must wear masks/face coverings for the duration of the meeting.  Social distancing guidelines remain in place.

Personal Contact

Hugs, handshakes, “high-fives,” and even activities like the friendship circle can transmit COVID-19 from person to person. Create a safe way for girls and adults to greet and end meetings instead (like air high fives, jazz hands or a fun noise and body movement).

Troop Cleaning Protocol for Indoor Spaces

A troop adult should clean and disinfect the hard surfaces for indoor meetings prior to the arrival of the girls.  Troops should plan to bring their own paper towels and soap for use in the bathrooms and review an appropriate bathroom protocol with the girls prior to the meeting or as the meeting begins.

• An appropriate disinfecting spray or wipe should be used to wipe down all hard surfaces, i.e., door handles, light switch, tables, chairs etc.
• Upon arrival the girls should use hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol content) to clean their hands.
• If girls need to use the bathroom they should go to the bathroom individually and follow the established protocol described at the beginning of the meeting.
• The girls should use hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol content) prior to leaving the meeting space to go home.
• Adults not participating in the meeting should not enter the meeting space.
• Adults should come to the door to pick up/meet their girl.
• A troop adult needs to remove the trash generated by the troop as well as to clean and disinfect the hard surfaces prior to leaving the meeting space.  Girls may participate in the disinfectant process as appropriate, i.e., wipe their own chair with a disinfecting wipe etc.
• The floor should be picked up as needed and cared for according to CDC guidelines based on the floor surface.

For more information on the appropriate disinfection materials or procedures, please reference:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html

First Aid Supplies

Troop first aid supplies should include COVID-19 prevention items including hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol), tissues, disposable facemasks, and disinfectants. Trash baskets or bags should be supplied for meeting and activity spaces, if not already available. Disposable or no-contact thermometers may be added to supplies if available and not cost-prohibitive.

First Aid / CPR Training

Keep skills up-to-date for any emergency.

Other COVID-19 Precautions to be Observed

• Hand sanitizer or hand washing must be available for use before, during, and after all troop activities
• Disinfecting wipes or sanitizing procedures must be followed to clean all high touch areas prior to the girls’ arrival, during activities and at conclusion of the troop meeting. See cleaning and disinfectant information at the end of this document.*
• Supplies should not be shared, i.e., crayons, markers, scissors etc.
• Food should either be brought by each girl for their sole use, or prepackaged and handed out to participants wearing mask and gloves
• No sharing of food is allowed and no potluck/buffet meals may be served
• All  caregiver/parent decisions about participation should be respected, and girls should be provided with an alternative activity if they choose not to participate in the in-person meeting or activity
• Troop co-leaders and volunteers must feel comfortable with troop plans for meeting

Due to their age, caregivers/parents of Daisies & Brownies should review social distancing with their girl prior to the meeting to make sure she understands how to interact with others at the meeting. Co-leaders should plan for enough volunteers to support safe behaviors.

Travel

At this time, no overnight troop travel is allowed. As a reminder, no carpooling is allowed in order to maintain social distancing. Troops may travel for day trips within Connecticut and to states that are not included in the State of Connecticut’s Travel Advisory.  High Adventure activities are also permitted, as long Girl Scouts of Connecticut, CT State, and CDC guidelines are followed, and approval is received to attend the location.  Carpooling for troop travel outside of the household unit is not allowed.  At any time that one of the states named is added to the Connecticut state list that requires quarantine after visiting, it is no longer a suitable destination for Girl Scout travel.  Troops must complete the appropriate troop travel paperwork and all girls must have a Covid-19 Informed Consent Form on file with their troop co-leaders to participate.  As a reminder, if non registered family members are participating in troop activities, Plan 2 Supplemental Insurance must be purchased.

If at any time Connecticut is added to the list of the states that must quarantine after visiting neighboring states, Girl Scouts of Connecticut members will no longer be allowed to travel outside the state.

Service Unit Events

Service Unit or Large Gatherings

These larger gatherings will be allowed only after August 1 and based on local guidelines for meetings. The number of people that are permitted must be reviewed while following social distancing and face covering guidelines as well as proper girl-to-adult ratios. It is strongly recommended to meet outdoors and only when social distancing can be maintained. For more people or large gatherings, when the time is safely appropriate, follow the CDC guidelines:  Large Gatherings and Community Events.

In the Event of a Positive COVID-19 Case

Reporting and communicating a positive COVID-19 test should be managed by a council staff member.  Volunteers do not manage COVID-19 communication responsibilities. All health information is private/confidential to be shared only on a need to know basis. There are laws and regulations governing sharing of health data. The attached form

If an individual who attended an in-person Girl Scout Activity tests positive for COVID-19, the individual/caregiver/parent should contact the GSOFCT Chief Mission Delivery Officer to who will begin the council’s COVID 19 protocols.

Tracy Knofla, Chief Mission Delivery Officer

tknofla@gsofct.org

1-800-922-2770 ext. 3306