Dear Parents,
At Muskoka Woods, the safety and well-being of our guests and staff is our top priority. Accordingly, we are closely monitoring information about the Novel H1N1 influenza virus(swine flu) from the Ministry of Health, Long Term Care (MOHTLC) and our local health unit. At this point Muskoka Woods has no known or suspected cases of H1N1. We have been notified recently by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit of outbreaks of H1N1 in summer camps in their jurisdiction. We take this matter very seriously. The following safeguards have been designed and recommended by the MOHLTC to protect our guests and staff.
Safeguards before leaving home
- Parents are required to keep their children at home and away from camp if their child has experienced the symptoms listed below. Guests can only begin camp when they have been cleared by a doctor. Influenza-like illness (ILI) is the acute onset of respiratory symptoms with fever and cough and one or more of the following symptoms: sore throat, muscle aches, joint pain, or weakness. In children under 5, gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea and/or vomiting) may also be present and fever may not be prominent.
- Upon arrival at Muskoka Woods or Yorkdale for guests travelling by bus, guests and staff presenting with ILI symptoms on initial screening will be isolated and sent home. Our concern is not to expose any other guests or staff at camp.
Safeguards during camp
- As the safety and well-being of our guests and staff is our top priority, Muskoka Woods maintains a Full-time, onsite medical team consisting of a Doctor, 4 Registered Nurses and several student nurses.
- Muskoka Woods guests & staff will be screened on an ongoing basis for influenza-like illness (ILI) before entering camp (see attached screening form) and routinely monitored for symptoms throughout their stay.
- In the event that a Muskoka Woods guest or staff experiences new ILI symptoms while at camp, he or she will be separated from other guests/staff. Guests experiencing ILI symptoms will be examined by the camp doctor and action will be taken based on our doctor’s assessment and in consultation with the guest’s parents.
- During our thorough staff-training program, all Muskoka Woods staff were trained in our W.A.R.R. against illness program. W.A.R.R. is an acronym that stands for: Wash your hands, sneeze into your Arm, get plenty of Rest and Report. All Muskoka Woods staff will promote and encourage frequent hand washing to prevent the spread of germs. Everyone is expected to wash their hands after bathroom use and prior to entering the dining halls for meals. All guests and staff are met by a dining room host who ensures that all hands are sanitized with a hospital-grade sanitizer effective against bacteria & viruses. Alcohol based hand sanitizer dispensers and mobile hand washing stations are also strategically placed throughout the camp property.
We will continue to monitor new developments from the MOHLTC and we will remain proactive by following the aforementioned recommendations. We trust that parents will partner with us to help prevent the incidence of ILI at camp by making their child practice effective hand-washing and cough/sneeze behaviours at home. Should you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact Muskoka Woods.
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our children and our camp healthy. You can count on us to take every precaution as we give your child/children a healthy experience to remember.
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