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COVID-19 Updates

Current coronavirus guidelines for Girl Scouts San Diego

Updated as of 9/20/21

Delivering on our mission is more important now than ever before, and the health and safety of our girls, volunteers, and staff is paramount. During these uncertain times, we can continue to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place by practicing these guidelines. Thank you for being kind in your words and actions.

Girl Scouts San Diego's goals:

  • Protect the health of our members and community
  • Help keep kids in school by reducing exposure and resulting quarantines
  • Safeguard the opportunity to continue meeting in person
  • Model leadership in reducing community spread
  • Include all members who may need additional protection to safely join in
  • Follow health authority requirements as relevant to youth, volunteers, and staff
  • Use the Girl Scout Promise and Law to navigate these unprecedented times

Follow the recommendations below to help meet these goals. As shown in the Swiss cheese graphic (inspired by the Cleveland Clinic’s version), layers of protection mitigate risk in the community, and for individuals. Thank you for helping your Girl Scout family stay safe and fun for everyone! Contact us at customercare@sdgirlscouts.org or 619-298-8391 if you have questions. We're happy to help!

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Masks

Indoors:

Masks are required for all participants and guests attending in-person Girl Scout meetings, activities, or events, including while carpooling. Keep car windows open, too.

Outdoors:

Masks are optional, except in these circumstances, when masks are required:

  • When required by local authorities, including schools, where the activity is taking place.
  • Where social distancing cannot be maintained, such as at events.
  • When requested by the troop leader, event director, or camp director. These staff and volunteers are in the best position to determine whether greater protection is needed given the nature of the event, the participants' needs, and the circumstances in the community.

Do not wear masks (but do keep 6 feet apart) when:

  • Eating or drinking
  • Swimming
  • Sleeping
  • Exempted by a doctor, due to a medical condition. In this case, wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, if your condition allows it.
Hand-Washing and Sanitation

Wash hands frequently with soap and water. Spend at least 20 seconds.

Use hand sanitizer when hand-washing facilities are not immediately accessible. It's smart to sanitize before and after touching surfaces or items others have recently used. 

Six-Foot Distancing

Stay six feet from others when you can.

This is especially important when unmasked, whether indoors or out. Currently, quarantine guidelines rely heavily on distancing. The more distance you maintain, the less likely you'll be exposed or need to quarantine.

  • Indoors, use 25% of the venue capacity.
  • Outdoors, use 67% of the venue capacity.
  • Arrange large-event seating by household, leaving space between each.
Screening Questions
  • Ask screening questions at every event. Screenings provide a reminder about COVID symptoms and help make decisions about attendance.
  • Print this poster as a visual aid, if you like.
  • Refer those with symptoms (not attributed to a prior health condition) to their health care provider. The provider will evaluate the need for testing or isolation. Those with symptoms may not participate in the Girl Scout activity.
  • Tip: ask screening questions before guardians leave. If a Girl Scout needs to go home, her adult will still be there.
  • Collect a COVID Girl and Adult Participation Guidance and Waiver for each participating family.
Small, Stable Groups

Often called cohorts or pods, small groups of youth can limit infection and reduce the need for quarantine. The best practice is to:

  • Keep your troop, special-interest group, or Take Action patrol separate from other groups.
  • Keep the group size to 14 Girl Scouts and 2 adults. If your troop is slightly larger, include all girls. Do not combine troops. Break very large troops (20+ girls) into smaller groups for meetings.
  • Limit the number of adults to the minimum needed for safety. Invite guests only when needed for program quality.
  • Keep a roster of all participants, in case contact tracing is needed later.
  • Plan carefully for mixed-group activities, such as badge workshops or service unit events, where participants are not part of the same stable group. Make a defined participant list and arrange seating so that groups don't mix. Take additional time and space.
  • Know that encampments are not permitted at this time.
Vaccination and Testing
  • Girl Scouts strongly recommends, but does not require, vaccines for all eligible adults and youth.
  • Girl Scouts San Diego supports volunteer troop leaders, event directors, and encampment directors who choose to require proof of vaccination and/or a negative COVID test (within 72 hours of an event) as a requirement for in-person participation.
  • Vaccination or mandatory quarantine is required for travel to some international destinations. Girl Scout trips will not include time to quarantine on arrival. As a result, the vaccine will be necessary.
  • Follow the “Swiss Cheese Model” of mitigation no matter your vaccine status.
  • Read our Vaccine FAQs for more.
Ventilation/Outdoor Spaces
  • Hold meetings and activities outdoors whenever possible. Indoor spaces are permitted but discouraged. Indoors, optimize ventilation by opening windows and doors, and use child-safe fans. Use air filters, if possible.
  • Consider a space to be "outdoors" if three sides are open.
  • See "About Camping" below, for campout specifics.
  • Keep vehicle windows open. Even a little bit improves ventilation.
Quarantine/Isolation
  • Contact Girl Scouts San Diego immediately if anyone connected to a  meeting or activity is diagnosed with COVID and has potentially exposed others. Reach us at 619-298-8391 or at accidentreporting@sdgirlscouts.org. After hours, press 2, when prompted, to reach our emergency line.
  • Follow instructions from your health care provider and/or the agency that notified you of the positive test result.
  • Do not share health information with others. Council staff will notify those potentially exposed in a manner consistent with healthcare privacy laws, in conjunction with county contact tracers.
  • Contact your school if your Girl Scout is diagnosed with COVID. There are specific school quarantine rules that must be followed in San Diego County and Imperial County
About Camping, Meals, Travel, and Activities that Require Approval

Use these guidelines for overnights:

  • Preferred sleeping quarters are "under the stars" or in separate tents. Household members may share a tent.
  • Next best is a cabin or tent that allows for 6 ft distance between campers. Sleep head-to-toe for more protection.
  • Troop family campouts are strongly discouraged at this time. Stick to troop camping with limited adults and no "tagalong" siblings.
  • Encampments are not permitted at this time.
  • Find additional recommendations in our Camping Info packet. 

For meal planning options, you might:

  • Have each person bring a drink and a meal or snack from home.
  • Use packaged snacks.
  • Eat outdoors in a restaurant.
  • Have each girl prep and cook her own food.
  • Have one adult or responsible Girl Scout serve food. This will eliminate the extra hands touching the same serving utensils.
  • Find additional recommendations in our Camping Info packet. It contains recipes and other ideas--not just for camping.

Travel guidelines will vary depending on destination. Be sure to:

  • Follow CDC guidelines for testing, vaccines, and quarantine at departure, destination, en route, and return.
  • Adjust travel to open-air, uncrowded destinations, such as national parks.
  • Consider delaying or adjusting travel plans, as conditions change.
  • Obtain approval.

Activities requiring approval:

Forms
Resources

The recommendations above are reviewed weekly. Significant changes from authorities prompt updates in our guidance, and will be published within two weeks. Note that staff members may observe additional protocols to meet Cal/OSHA requirements.

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