- If your Scout is sick, please do not send him to camp, troop meetings, patrol meetings or any other activities. We have been focusing a lot on COVID the past two years, but no one wants to spread colds, the flu, or stomach bugs either. Stay home when you are sick!
- If your Scout is waiting for COVID test results, please stay home until you get a negative result.
- If your Scout had an exposure to someone with known COVID, please follow the CDC guidelines. These currently state that anyone with a known COVID exposure should mask at home around other household members, and in any public indoor setting, for 10 days after the exposure. Although masking indoors after an exposure is of top importance, we know that some of our Scouting activities put our Scouts in close contact with each other even outdoors. Your Scout should be prepared to mask in any location if he knows he will be in close proximity to other Scouts.
- If your Scout is feeling well but has mild symptoms that could represent COVID, please strongly consider testing or masking. For example, is that headache from the stresses of the school day, or could it be COVID? Is the scratchy throat from allergies, or could it be COVID? Your fellow Scouting families will be grateful for your vigilance with even these mild symptoms – we can keep each other healthy! COVID tests are available at no cost to you through the postal service website:
- Your Scout may be asked to mask in someone’s car or home. Please help your Scout be prepared to act on and respect these requests! Be respectful of other people’s decisions – they may have a family or medical reason that requires them to take extra precautions, and we want to support each other!
- Be flexible and expect these recommendations to evolve. In general, our troop will follow the policies and procedures of Strongsville City Schools, and will continue to prioritize the safety of our Scouts. Thank you for all you do to contribute to this effort!
- Please continue to be kind. Remember to think of other peoples’ safety when you may be sick, and give others the benefit of the doubt that they are doing the same for you. All of these respiratory illnesses are successful because they are easily spread, so placing blame is rarely helpful.
Thank you for continuing to contribute to the health and safety of our Scouting family!
Laura Eizember
(I would personally advise everyone to seriously consider staying up-to-date on immunizations, whether for COVID, influenza, or other illnesses. We have been distanced from each other over the past couple years – we should expect infectious illnesses to become more commonplace as we return to increased contact with each other. Let’s do our best to prepare!)
