Our cabins are currently capped at 6-8 campers and 1-2 counselors.  Per updated guidance from the State of Massachusetts, each cabin will be well ventilated. 6 feet of distance will not be required for campers from the same cabin, whether during daily activities or when sleeping.

These cabin groups will form a cohort that will stay together for daily classes, activities, and free time in order to track camper interactions.

Siblings that are close in age may choose to request to bunk together, as this is also allowed during a more typical summer. Or they may enjoy the camp program more by being placed with their age peers in separate cabins. Either way, siblings and friends in other cabins will still see each other – they would just save hugs and close contact for when camp is over.  

Many all-camp favorite activities would still be on the daily schedule; however, they may be adapted to keep the cohort structure in place.

A negative PCR test is required to be taken within 72 hours of coming to camp. The results must be uploaded into the camper health profile prior to driving to camp. For most campers, this means scheduling a PCR test for the Thursday afternoon before a Sunday arrival. Additionally, a rapid test will be administered during drop-off and also in the event any symptoms of COVID-19 develop in a participant or if they come in contact with the public.

Camps that implemented the multi-pronged approach of pods, testing, and masking saw great outcomes in the previous summers – asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 were identified prior to, and during the early days, of camp, and spread was mitigated so as to allow for the majority of camp programming to continue as normal. 

At WA WA this summer, campers will not wear masks when doing activities just with their own cohort, and will wear masks when in a shared space with other cohorts. For example, masks will be worn when using our bathhouse, “The Beacon”, when traveling to and from different parts of camp, and during any distanced activities with other cohorts or during contact sports with other cohorts. 

“Visitors Day” is a great WA WA tradition, however we will not hold it this summer in order to limit the number of outside people within base camp. Letter writing is always a treasured point of contact while campers are at camp. The landline phone is also available for phone calls as needed.

Campers that are staying for the month are encouraged to stay at camp between sessions for the session break stay-over. Laundry will be done, and this way campers can avoid having to coordinate a PCR test in time to return within 24 hours on a weekend. We are awaiting guidance from the health department on the specific protocol for campers who go home for those 24 hours in between.

Our camper cabins, bathhouse, lodge and dining hall are all already extremely well ventilated and have a notable amount of open-air capabilities. In addition, our daily activities take place outside on our lake, fields and trails as much as possible. 

We have several options to work with including using our parade field, and both our inside lodge & dining hall (both areas are surrounded by open windows).

As we have learned over the past year, families can help stop the spread of COVID-19 by wearing masks in public, using proper handwashing and cough covering methods, staying home when sick, and getting vaccinated when eligible.

Our camp is licensed by the State of Massachusetts Department of Public Health. We work closely with our local health department, as well as the Massachusetts Camping Association, and the American Camping Association (ACA) New England Chapter. Our health care is supervised by Nella Stoltz, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, DNP, APRN, PNP-BC, ACNP, CCRN-P, and delivered by a team of nurses and doctors- all of whom have pediatric experience during the rest of the year.

Healthcare staff are all fully vaccinated. For counselors and other support staff, we are providing all the support we can to encourage staff to vaccinate, however it is not a requirement of employment.

All participants are required to complete a 10-day self-quarantine. For campers, that means monitoring symptoms daily, staying home as much as possible, not enrolling in any group activities outside the home, and always wearing a mask when in the company of anyone outside your home. Staff will complete a portion of their quarantine during the 7-day staff week at camp. This 10-day quarantine applies to all participants – whether vaccinated or not.