COVID-19 Information

The health and well being of our campers and staff is always our top priority. Hilltop successfully ran in the summer of 2021 and we were able to provide an amazing experience for the members of the Hilltop community with our protocols listed below.  As a result and given the higher Covid numbers currently over June of 2021 we have made the decision to follow many of the same procedures with some modifications. 

HIlltop’s covid protocols for Summer 2022 have been set with the most up to date guidance for summer camps from both the CDC and NYS Health Department and follow best practices for the covid environment we are currently in.  

An important aspect of our covid safety protocols to consider at this point is the vaccine.  It is available for  the entire age range of our campers and staff, as well as the booster.  

  • Staff – All staff must be vaccinated and boosted (if eligible) to work at Camp Hilltop.  
  • Campers – We STRONGLY suggest that campers are vaccinated and boosted (if eligible) when they come to camp.  We very much feel having a fully vaccinated camper is the safest decision you can make before allowing your child(ren) to attend camp.  For their health, and for the wellbeing of the entire camp community, but we acknowledge you may feel differently for your family and we will respect that choice.  
  • Recap of Up-To-Date (vaccinated & boosted) Campers and NOT Up-To-Date (vaccinated but not boosted, if eligible, and anyone who is not vaccinated) – The CDC, NYS and County Health Departments differentiate protocols between up-to-date (vaccinated & boosted) and not up-to-date campers.  It is important to note that if your camper gets covid or is not up to date, they must leave camp for 10 days if they become ill or if deemed by county health officials to have been exposed.  If your camper is not able to come to camp due to a covid reason or must leave camp early, no refund nor credit will be applied to your account per the terms and conditions.  If there is space in a later session we will gladly have them join us then. 
  • Here is the link to the CDC’s COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation Guidance we will be following this summer, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html
  • Here is the link for the CDC’s booster guidance so you may be Up To Date with your camper’s covid vaccinations, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html
  • Here’s a link to a tool on the CDC website to help you determine if your camper is eligible for the booster before their camp session begins, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html

Please Note: This is a  ‘living’ document that will develop and change as the recommendations from the CDC, County and NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) are updated.    The Camp Hilltop Covid Safety Plan is a multi-layered approach and with your mindfulness and participation we can create a safe camp environment for everyone to enjoy their camp experience. 

2022 Covid 19 Safety Information

All forms, paperwork and payments MUST be sent in prior to arriving at camp as we will not be accepting them at check-in.

Campers and staff will be asked to be smart in their connections outside their homes and schools for a period of 10 days prior to their arrival at Hilltop. There should be no trips or situations in which they are at a risk of transmission. The success of every camper's summer may depend on how you and your family interact with others immediately prior to coming to camp!

Covid-19 Testing Prior to Camp
  • Testing is a key component of the safety plan, especially with the high transmission of the current covid variant. Below are the testing protocols we will follow.
  • All campers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, are required to have a PCR COVID-19 test 72 hours in advance of arriving at camp and their negative results provided to camp in order to gain entrance to the camp facility. Upload results to your Camp In Touch account or email to hilltop@hancock.net.
You do not need to have a covid PCR test if:
  • You’ve had COVID-19 within 90 days of your camp session start date. You must be able to provide a copy of your lab report showing a confirmed positive COVID test. This should be emailed to our medical director, becky@camphilltop.com. You still must have an observed antigen test administered the day of entrance into camp with a negative result to enter the camp program.
  • You must follow our COVID-19 testing procedures if you do not meet the criteria above.
Day of Arrival Observed Antigen Test
  • In addition, every camper, regardless of vaccination status, must have an antigen test the morning/day of arriving at camp to be permitted into the camp facility or onto camp transportation (bus/airport van). This MUST be an observed antigen test. Observed means a testing professional either supervises your test on an internet service (similar to travel requirements) or you walk into a testing location and have a test done or you go through our Camp Hilltop testing location (more below). You must provide a paper copy of the provided negative test result(s) (preferred) or show us the results on your phone at check-in to camp/bus/airport van. If you choose the phone route we will need you to also email the result to becky@camphilltop.com to have on file in our health center. Please note we do not have reliable cell service at camp so have everything ready to be shown prior to entering the camp drive.
  • Camp Bus - please note if you are taking the camp bus up to camp you must schedule this early Sunday morning because you must do this test and get your results before you are allowed to board the bus in NYC at 9:00 am and we can not be parked on the side of a Manhattan street for extra time while we are waiting for results. It must be completed prior to getting to the bus!
Investigate your options and make appointments now. A lot of families are going to be needing to have observed tests performed on a Sunday morning so make your testing arrangements now. Here is a resource list for observed antigen tests we found but you may find your own in your neighborhood and many of the local options may in fact be free. Spend the time now to learn your options and schedule appointments so this does not sneak up on you. Having said all of that we are working diligently to set up a drive thru testing site in Hancock, NY for you to use for the arrival day observed antigen test that will be open only to Hilltop campers. You may still opt to do one of the other observed antigen methods but we want to give you options. We are quite confident we can pull this off and will be expecting to make an official announcement in the next week but we did not want to wait to get the rest of this information out to you. More information will be emailed to our camp families as soon as we have everything finalized.
  • Each family will have an assigned time to drop off their camper(s) in a drive-thru format. Your assigned check-in time will be emailed to you. It will be scheduled no later than 2 weeks prior to your campers check-in date and will be assigned by cabin groups with siblings checking in at the earliest assigned time for the family. Times are rigid so that we may reduce the flow of vehicles and people on site to complete check-in quickly and efficiently. Once we set the time that is your arrival window. Please understand we are trying to bring cabin groups in at the same time so they may get their camp experience going.
  • Our first check in time slot will be 10am and run through 3pm on designated session start dates. Times may be adjusted throughout the summer based on the number of campers checking in.
  • Check in will occur at the vehicle. Adults/non-campers must remain beside their vehicle at all times. Check in will include an initial health screening, meeting the nurses & directors. Once completed you will say your goodbyes from the vehicle. A counselor will then bring the camper and their belongings to the cabin to help them unpack and begin their camp adventure. (Please label all of your campers luggage with their full name to assist our staff.)
Arrival Day 1 (Sunday) At Camp Testing / Screening:
  • A health screening will take place at your vehicle. Please understand if your camper is not cleared in the screening process, and this includes a temp over 100.4, the State of New York requires us to deny your child entrance into camp.
  • You present the negative results from the observed antigen test administered the same day as entrance into the camp program. If a camper’s result is positive they may not begin camp and must follow the CDC quarantine and isolation guidance.
Day 3 (Tuesday) Testing:
  • The last part of the asymptomatic testing process will take place on day 3 of camp, Tuesday. An antigen test will be performed on site. If positive you will be contacted and must pick up your camper that same day.
  • Exposed campers that are not up to date with their covid vaccines will also need to be picked up to begin their quarantine. Delaware County Health Officials will determine who will need to quarantine at home. Parents/guardians will be contacted.
  • Camp Hilltop is fortunate to have multiple RNs and NPs who will care for and treat our campers through the summer. We have designated spaces for quarantine and isolation should the need arise, but they are short term until you pick up your camper. If a child or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they will be sent home to quarantine and retest. They may return to camp after clearance by local health officials.
  • Our Health Center will be a Covid safe space for campers and staff that may be experiencing other health issues. Most routine care and treatments at the Health Center will be moved outside onto Health Center porches or triage tents set up for camper/staff care. As stated above, if someone tests positive for covid -19 we will have isolation areas for their care while awaiting pick up by their family.

While we LOVE to see our campers families on visiting day we will not have traditional visiting days this summer due to the high rate of covid transmissions within counties, regardless of vaccination status. In lieu of an in person visiting day, we will schedule facetime / phone calls visiting times for our campers attending sessions longer than 2-weeks. Call times will be scheduled a week prior to the call. Your camper will need to bring a cell phone to call, Facetime, WhatsApp, etc. during their set time. All devices must be turned in to the office upon arrival. Please have it fully charged in a ziplock bag labeled with the campers full name. They will receive their phone to call you at their designated visiting time. We DO NOT permit cell phones at camp. If phones are not turned in upon arrival, they will be confiscated and kept in the office until your camper's departure, forfeiting use for the visiting day call. We will be working around camp activities and programs so times may not be requested but we will give you a minimum of 1 weeks notice for your families 30 minute time slot (per camper). If you do not wish to send a phone but wish to have a call please contact our office so we may coordinate this in advance of their arrival at camp. Remember, this is only for campers staying for longer than 2-weeks.

Designation of Groups

Another layer to our safety plan is establishing 3 different group designations at camp. Knowing how we are designating subgroups within the overall camp population will help you to better understand our mask wearing guidelines and how they pertain to our testing procedures which you already received. We’ll start with smallest to largest group designations:

  • Cabin Group: This is your family at camp and with whom you will have the most freedom at camp from masking protocols.
  • Cohort: A cohort is a coed grouping of cabins and will be based on appropriate peer levels. There will be several cohorts within the larger camp population. The size of cohorts will be set to limit the number of campers that will need to quarantine and/or isolate if a covid exposure occurs.
  • Camp population as a whole:  This is all campers, staff and personnel within the Hilltop facility.
Masking
  • Masks have been shown to be an effective measure in reducing the transmission of covid-19. We ask that anyone entering the camp for drop off/pick up that has not had a negative antigen test that same day, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask.
  • Masks are always worn in the health center.
  • Masks will be worn when entering and moving around the dining hall until the day 3 antigen test results are determined for the camp population.
  • Masks are recommended for indoor activities.
*This masking process will repeat every 2 weeks as new campers join us and need to complete their testing to help minimize exposure risks within our camp bubble.

**Masks worn should be FDA approved surgical masks and meet CDC recommendations.

DO NOT WEAR:

  • Masks with exhalation valves or vents
  • Single layer or masks made of thin fabric that don’t block light.
  • Gaiters or bandanas
These protocols are being developed following all relevant guidelines, regulations and best practices from CDC guidelines for overnight camps and the American Camp Association Field Guide for Camps on Implementation of CDC Guidance, and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). Moving forward we will make appropriate adjustments based on research and recommendations for sleep away camps. Your campers' health and safety is paramount to all of the policies at Camp Hilltop so that they may be able to enjoy their time at camp. Please help us by doing your part, before they arrive, to reduce the covid exposure risk and protect your investment and campers experience. Our goal is to reduce the chance of any camper having to miss out on camp due to covid. .

What If….

There are simply too many ‘what if’ scenarios to go through here. That said, we’ve got a long list in our office that continues to grow! Please reach out if there is a situation you would like to discuss.  

One thing we can offer here: Camp Hilltop will over-communicate and provide complete transparency this summer. All camp parents have the camp number where we can be reached.  We’ll be available whenever needed. 

Speaking of which, if you’d like more information about how Camp Hilltop will approach the coming summer, please don’t hesitate to call us at 800-782-5319.