Gov. Mills Gives New Guidelines For Reopening Maine Summer Camps

Good news for Maine kids hoping to get the "camp" experience this summer: the Governor's Office released new guidelines this week that gives the green light for Day and Overnight Camps across the state.

Per her Executive Order, Governor Mills says that from now till May 23th, Day Camp and Summer Rec activities that take place inside, can be held with up to 50% of their occupancy (or 50 people, whichever is greater). On May 24th, that occupancy number goes up to 75%.

As for outdoor activities, Mills says from May 24th on, those can resume with 100% of their occupancy.

The Maine CDC website's guidance for Day Camps recommends that proper cleaning, screening and Covid education resources and practices be promoted for the duration of the "camping" season. And suggests that all Maine camps review and follow the suggestions of the American Camp Association. 

The recent guideline changes also give organizations with Overnight Camps a chance to open those for the season, too.

Aside from recommending that camp capacity limits are strictly adhered to, that all the staff involved with these camps receive proper Covid related training, and that safety measures like masking and maintaining physical distancing practices are implemented, these are the major take-aways for the new changes:

"Single-session camps can consider larger group gatherings of camp participants for dining and group programs..."

For multiple session camps, the document says points out that the risk of transmission increases, and therefore those camps must take extra steps to try to prevent that spread. "...using smallest practicable groupings, outdoor programming, dining and programmatic changes to minimize mixing between ”households”, testing, strict physical distancing and masking."

As for campers and staff coming into Maine from out of state (with the exception of those from states that are on Maine's exempt list, like New Hampshire, Mass. and Vermont, to name a few) "must adhere to the requirements of the Keep Maine Healthy plan, completing the required testing or quarantine prior to camper arrival."

The entire list of Covid-19 Prevention Checklists for each public sector can be found here.