COVID-19 Policy Updates - March 2022
Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida holds girl safety at the center of all we do. We continue to closely monitor safety guidelines from local, state, and national public health officials, along with Center for Disease Control and Prevention regulations. As guidelines change on a regular basis, we remain fluid in planning and scheduling. Our interest is to always take appropriate measure to ensure all girls have fun and SAFE experiences at Girl Scouts.
This guidance is intended to be used by volunteers and families in conjunction with GSUSA’s Safety Activity Checkpoints and according to local governments, such as counties and cities, as well as state and federal government authorities. It is important that all members and families continue to monitor local, state and federal guidelines and the other resources such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The guidance from GSTF does not supersede more recent government guidance or restrictions.
Volunteers and families should be reminded that COVID-19 is an extremely contagious virus and are therefore expected to take all reasonable precautions to limit potential exposure for girls, themselves, other volunteers, and Girl Scout families. Each troop/family should weigh their participation based on their own health concerns. As with any social activity, participation in Girl Scouts could present the risk of contracting COVID-19 or other illnesses, and Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida can in no way warrant that exposure will not occur through participation. We are relying on our dedicated volunteers to engage with girls and families and demonstrate our Girl Scout values by adhering to the council’s guidelines.
The following are the key guidelines for all Girl Scout members and families who wish to participate in any Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida troop or Council activities, including camp-outs, troop meetings, Council programs and troop travel.
1. Check for Symptoms: Parents must keep Girl Scouts home if their child doesn’t feel well or shows any symptoms of illness (i.e., runny nose, fever, vomiting). Take attendance. If overnight activity, volunteer leader ask/observe if there are any symptoms of illness. Send home immediately if sick.
2. Keep Social Distance: Aim to maintain 3-6 feet away from others as much as possible. Assign Girl Scouts to small groups to limit exposure. When sleeping, alternate head/toe/head/toe to increase the distance between heads.
3. Masks: Masks are optional, but Girl Scouts is a mask-friendly environment. We ask troop leaders to consider the health and safety of all girls within their troop when considering these guidelines. According to the Girl Scout Law, we must be a sister to every Girl Scout so we must be considerate and caring for every girl’s unique health/safety needs. Always follow mask requirements for any locations you visit with your Troop.
Families, please understand -- that may mean that a troop leader may require more than what GSTF's guidelines outline. Girl Scouts respect authority and our troop leaders have the authority to take extra measures for the safety of all Girl Scouts in their troop.
4. Sanitize Often: Clean surfaces frequently and encourage hand-washing before/after activities and whenever handling food.
