Important update: Healthcare facilities

CDC has updated select ways to operate healthcare systems effectively in response to COVID-19 vaccination. Learn more

Find the latest information:
Aquatics FAQs
Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People
COVID-19 Homepage

UPDATE

Given new evidence on the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, CDC has updated the guidance for fully vaccinated people. CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Children should return to full-time in-person learning in the fall with layered prevention strategies in place.

UPDATE

The White House announced that vaccines will be required for international travelers coming into the United States, with an effective date of November 8, 2021. For purposes of entry into the United States, vaccines accepted will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines. More information is available here.

UPDATE

Travel requirements to enter the United States are changing, starting November 8, 2021. More information is available here.

Frequently Asked Questions for Directors of Overnight Camps

Updated May 27, 2022

CDC recommendations are consistent across youth-focused settings. Camp directors of both day and overnight camps should follow the most recent version of the Operational Guidance for K-12 School and Early Care and Education Programs (ECE) to Support Safe In-Person Learning and accompanying Frequently Asked Questions for K-12 and Early Care and Education (ECE) Settings: Information for School and ECE Administrators, Teachers, Staff, and Parents. They can also access additional resources on the CDC COVID-19 schools landing page, which hosts resources related to testing, Test to Stay, quarantine and isolation, and COVID-19 vaccines.

The following frequently asked questions (FAQs) provide additional detail and context for directors of overnight camps.

If an overnight camp hosts campers and staff coming from regions with different COVID-19 Community Levels, the risk of introducing COVID-19 into the camp program may increase. Camp administrators should communicate with campers, staff, and their families about following the recommendations outlined in the COVID-19 Community Levels guidance for their county of residence prior to arriving at the overnight camp (for example, campers that live in a county with a high COVID-19 Community Level should wear a mask when in public indoor spaces).

Camps can also consider a pre-arrival test for campers and staff, even when the location of the camp has a low COVID-19 Community Level, and especially when the camp serves many campers coming from medium or high COVID-19 Community Levels.

Campers and staff should follow CDC guidance for Wearing Masks in Travel and Public Transportation Settings – CDC recommends properly wearing a well-fitting mask or respirator over the nose and mouth in indoor areas of public transportation (such as airplanes, trains, buses, ferries) and transportation hubs (such as airports, stations, and seaports).

CDC recommends everyone eligible get their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines, and receive booster dose(s) when eligible, so they stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations.

COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of people getting very sick with COVID-19 and can also reduce the risk of spreading it. People who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 are more likely to get very sick. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe illness and death from COVID-19.

People who are up to date on COVID-19 vaccines do not need to quarantine if they come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19. This means overnight campers and staff who are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines can continue attending camp activities if they are determined to be a close contact. Campers and staff who are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines and identified as close contacts should still follow the recommendations to wear a well-fitting mask and get tested.

Refer to COVID-19 Vaccines for People Vaccinated Outside the United States for recommendations. Before traveling to the United States, international campers and staff who are not US citizens or permanent residents (i.e., Green Card holders) should be aware of the requirement to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to board a flight to the United States unless they meet limited exceptions. For information about travel to the United States across a land border, visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Fact Sheet: Guidance for Travelers to Enter the U.S. at Land Ports of Entry and Ferry Terminals.

At all COVID-19 Community Levels, overnight camps should use diagnostic testing for people with symptoms of COVID-19 or for people who have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19. This can be done through the use of point-of-care, at-home, or laboratory-based testing.

Additionally, camps can consider implementing screening testing when the COVID-19 Community Levels are medium and high, as outlined in the K-12/ECE guidance. At all COVID-19 Community Levels, overnight camps can consider implementing screening testing for

Pre-arrival screening
Hosting campers from abroad or from regions with varying COVID-19 Community Levels
For overnight camps serving vulnerable campers (such as those with complex medical conditions)

Campers and staff members who have symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested and isolate away from other people until they receive their test results. If testing is not available on site, people with symptoms should be referred for testing at a nearby testing site. Campers and staff with symptoms of COVID-19 who cannot be tested should follow isolation guidance and isolate separately from people with laboratory confirmed COVID-19.

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should isolate away from others for at least 5 days and follow isolation guidance. Campers and staff can isolate at the camp if there is separate housing and supervision available for managing isolation with protocols that prevent transmission. Multiple campers or staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19 can be housed together to complete at least 5 days of isolation. If it is not possible to separate campers who test positive for COVID-19 from others, they should be sent home if possible to complete the 5-day isolation period. If the camper is sent home, members of their household should follow the Ongoing Exposure FAQ for information on how to manage COVID-19 for people who live together and cannot be separated.

Campers and staff who have completed at least 5 days of isolation or quarantine need to wear a well-fitting mask around other people through day 10. These campers and staff can return to daytime activities, provided they wear a mask. They should be separated from the group when they cannot wear a mask, for example when they are sleeping or eating.

Campers who have completed at least 5 days of isolation or quarantine should be housed together (one area for those completing isolation and another area for those completing quarantine) for sleeping during days 6-10. Improve indoor ventilation as much as possible in all cabins or bunkrooms, in addition to those with campers who have been in isolation or quarantine.

On March 30, 2022, CDC notified all ELC recipients that it would be exercising expanded authority to extend the ELC Reopening School supplement funding through July 31, 2023. Recipients are encouraged to continue using school testing funding to meet current K-12 COVID-19 testing needs for the remainder of the 2021-2022 school year and summer, including for summer camps. Existing guidance and flexibilities remain unchanged. For more information, visit the two resources below:

If an overnight camp program is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak, camp directors should have a plan to quickly isolate those who have tested positive or are showing symptoms of COVID-19. Camp directors should consider adding prevention strategies regardless of the COVID-19 Community Level. For example, those with an existing screening testing program may increase the frequency of testing. They may also put in place prevention strategies, such as mask use, that are recommended at high COVID-19 Community Levels, even if the overnight camp is within a community that is at a lower COVID-19 Community Level. Overnight camp programs that are experiencing outbreaks should work with their state or local health department in accordance with state and local regulations. Health departments should provide timely outbreak response support to camp programs.

Overnight camps can also consider implementing broad-based testing programs similar to those implemented in other congregate settings, such as correctional facilities and homeless service settings, to identify infections and prevent further spread of COVID-19. For example, this could mean testing an entire cohort, cabin, or dormitory when there is a case rather than trying to identify all close contacts.

In communities that are at a low COVID-19 Community Level, some people will choose to wear a mask based on personal risk and/or preference. They should be supported in their decision to do so. In addition, when the COVID-19 Community Level is medium, people who are more likely to become very sick should talk to a healthcare provider about wearing a well-fitting mask and taking other precautions. They can wear a mask or respirator with greater protection in public indoor spaces at all times, but especially in an area with a high COVID-19 Community Level. Because some campers with disabilities cannot safely wear a mask, overnight camps may need to consider other prevention strategies—such as cohorting and avoiding crowding—when the COVID-19 Community Level is medium or high.

If a camper tests positive and is more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, treatment may be available. Camp administrators can work with the camper’s parent, guardian, or caregiver to contact a healthcare provider right away after a positive test to determine if they are eligible, even if symptoms are mild. They can also visit a Test to Treat location and, if eligible, receive a prescription from a provider. They should not delay: Treatment must be started within the first few days to be effective. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should follow guidance for isolation.

Engaging in activities that take place outside of the camp can increase the chances of introducing COVID-19 into the camp. If camps choose to participate in activities off-site, they should check the COVID-19 Community Levels of the counties they plan to visit and follow the appropriate recommendations as outlined by the COVID-19 Community Levels.

When camp staff are away from camp (for example, during days off), they should follow the recommended prevention strategies outlined in the COVID-19 Community Levels based on the county they live in and/or will be visiting during their time off. If the COVID-19 Community Level is medium or high, consider having camp staff do a test when returning after time spent away from camp. To help reduce the potential for transmission in the camp setting, people who leave camp for more than 24 hours could be tested upon their return and again at least 5 days after.