Summary of COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols

(See Full Policy here.)

1– Daily Health Screening and Safety Protocols

Drop-off/pick-up will happen at program-specific sites where parents/guardians will sign children in and out.
Parents/guardians are required to wear face coverings outdoors during drop-off/pick-up. They should physically distance themselves from others not in their households.
Children will have COVID-19 verbal health assessments at program drop-off. Children with symptoms will not be admitted to programs.
Parents/guardians will not be allowed to visit programs unless there is an emergency.

2 — Record Keeping and Contact Tracing

Staff will keep a log for each program that will support contact tracing if needed.
Written records will be kept regarding any staff/volunteer or program participant who goes home sick/has symptoms of illness.

3 — Exclusion from Programs (for Sick or COVID-19 Exposed Persons)

Staff/volunteers should not come to work and parents/guardians should not bring children to programs if they (or anyone in their household) are ill.
If a child becomes ill at a program, a parent/guardian will be contacted for a pick up.
Sick staff, volunteers, and program participants will be asked to remain home for at least 10 days after COVID-19 symptoms onset, until 24 hours after symptoms are gone without medicine, and with COVID-19 symptoms improving. (See full policy for additional details and information about other illness symptoms.)
Nearby Nature will exclude from programs anyone who is unvaccinated and is known to have been exposed to COVID-19 within the preceding 14 days.
Staff, volunteers, or program participants who have a cough (due to asthma, allergies, etc.) that is not a new onset cough will not be excluded from programs. Documentation of such medical conditions will need to be provided prior to programs.

4 — Notification of Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Program Participants or Staff

If any program participant, volunteer, staff member, or visitor is diagnosed with COVID-19, that person/family should immediately alert Nearby Nature administrative staff and refrain from returning to programs/work.
Nearby Nature will notify Lane County Public Health and the Oregon Office of Child Care (as appropriate) if anyone who has entered our site is diagnosed with COVID-19.
If anyone associated with Nearby Nature programs is officially diagnosed with COVID-19, we should be notified by Lane County Public Health as part of contact tracing.
Families will be notified anyone associated with Nearby Nature programs is confirmed to have COVID-19. Nearby Nature will not, however, disclose the identity of the diagnosed person due confidentiality requirements in Federal HIPAA law.

5 — Protocol for Cessation of Program Activities If Necessary

Nearby Nature will consult with local health authorities regarding facility sanitation and/or possible program closure if any program participant, volunteer, staff member, or visitor is diagnosed with COVID-19.
If it becomes necessary to close Nearby Nature programs, a prorated refund or program credit will be offered if closure is unavoidable and permanent.

1 — Illness Prevention Protocols

Stable Groups:

Each program will consist of one group of no more than 10-12 children. Interactions with program participants from other stable groups will be limited.
The number of staff/volunteers/visitors regularly interacting with each stable group will be reduced to the safest minimum number.

Hand-Washing:

Program participants will be encouraged to wash hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
Alcohol-based hand-sanitizing products (60%+) may be substituted for soap and water washing and will be provided if program participants do not have easy access to a sink.

Health and Safety Reminders:

Staff/volunteers will provide program participants with age-appropriate verbal health and safety reminders.

Food Service:

Program participants/staff/volunteers will wash hands or use hand sanitizer before eating.
Program participants will not share food with other program participants.
Students may use individual collection and food service supplies to harvest and/or prepare food using vegetables and fruits from the Learnscape.

Physical Distancing:

Staff/volunteers will help program participants maintain physical distancing as much as possible.

Equipment Sharing:

Activities that minimize the sharing of equipment/supplies will be prioritized.
Individually-labeled equipment will be provided for each child whenever possible.
Children will wash their hands frequently or use hand sanitizer when equipment is shared.

Face Coverings:

As of August 23, 2021, staff/volunteers are required to wear face coverings outdoors.
As of August 23, 2021, program participants are required to wear face coverings outdoors.
Parents/guardians should send all children with at least one, and preferably two face coverings.
Face coverings will not be worn by anyone while eating, drinking, or when engaged in high energy or water activities where face covering wearing might be unsafe.

Important Facilities:

All program sites will have access to bathrooms or porta-potties, handwashing stations/sinks, tissues, paper towels, and garbage cans.
If indoor spaces are used, windows and/or doors will remain open for ventilation to the extent logistically possible

2 — Sanitation Protocols:

Frequently touched surfaces will be sanitized daily.
Bathrooms will be sanitized daily (and more often if needed).
Items that cannot easily be washed or sanitized will not be used at programs.
Sanitizing supplies and hand sanitizer will be used safely and applied correctly and stored out of reach of children.