COVID-19 is an extremely contagious virus that spreads easily through person-to-person contact. As with any social activity, participation in Girl Scouts could present the risk of contracting COVID-19. While Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada takes every safety and preventative precaution, Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada can in no way warrant that COVID-19 infection will not occur through participation in troop or council programs.”
Girl Scout Membership – Insurance
The Girl Scout Basic Activity insurance that comes with the Girl Scout membership does not cover illness. This is why it is very important for individuals that have come in contact with a person that has symptoms of an illness or has possible exposure to COVID-19 not to attend meetings or events.
Avoiding Exposure
Follow the resources developed by the CDC or Nevada Health Response website. Share these with girls, parents/caregivers, and volunteers, and ensure that they are practiced during meetings and activities. Place signs in the meeting or activity space to remind girls and volunteers to engage in everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Signs should include:
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Cough and sneeze into a tissue, throw the tissue in the trash and wash or sanitize your hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Wash hands if you do touch.
- Volunteers, girls, and parents should be reminded to make sure temperatures are taken before group interaction to confirm the individual is not running a fever and the temperature is a normal 98.6 degrees. Members with a fever or temperature higher than 98.6 should skip the in-person gathering until their temperature is normal.
Personal contact
Hugs, handshakes, “high-fives,” and even activities like the friendship circle or squeeze can transmit COVID-19 from person to person. Refrain from these gestures for the time being. Create a safe way for girls and volunteers to greet and end meetings instead (like tapping elbows).
Singing
If you normally close your meetings with a song, make certain girls and adults are all wearing masks. Singing and shouting both project germs farther than talking, ask your girls to either hum their closing song, or sing quietly, and always, of course, with their masks on.
First Aid Supplies
Troop first aid supplies should include COVID-19 prevention items including hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol), tissues, disposable facemasks, and disinfectants. Trash baskets or bags should be supplied for meeting and activity spaces, if not already available. Make sure that the trash baskets (or bags) are easily accessible for girls. Disposable or no-contact thermometers may be added to supplies if available and not cost-prohibitive, however, parents should be checking temperatures and allowing their girl(s) to join group activities only when temperatures are normal.
First Aid / CPR Training
Keep skills up to date for any emergency. Check the GSSNV Events page for upcoming in-person First Aid/CPR courses.
Disinfectants and Disinfecting
Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently touched (i.e., tabletops, markers, scissors, etc.). Use a household cleaner, or see the EPA’s list of effective cleaners approved for use against COVID-19. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time, etc.).
Household bleach is effective against COVID-19. Check that the bleach is not expired and determine if appropriate to use on a given surface. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Bleach solution is effective for up to 24 hours when properly diluted. To prepare a bleach solution, mix:
- 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water or
- 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water
Girl Scout Daisies – Juniors should not mix the above bleach solution. Girls should be supervised at all times when using disinfectant/cleaning solutions. See the CDC’s website for more on cleaning and disinfecting community facilities.
FDA Warning
The FDA advised consumers (6/19/2020) not to use any hand sanitizer manufactured by Eskbiochem SA de CV in Mexico, due to the potential presence of methanol (wood alcohol), a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested. FDA has identified the following products manufactured by Eskbiochem:
- All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)
- Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)
- Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)
- The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01)
- Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01)
Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should not be used due to its toxic effects. Stay completely away from sanitizers containing methanol.
Consumers who have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol should seek immediate treatment, which is critical for the potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning.
Face Coverings
Face coverings are no longer required during indoor Girl Scout meetings and activities. Any member or caregiver can continue to wear masks at meetings, events, and activities. As the COVID variants are constantly changing in severity GSSNV may modify safety requirements and require facial covering for certain council programs for our members.
Use of Gloves
To limit the spread of COVID-19 and food-borne pathogens members are responsible for providing and wearing gloves. We recommend using latex-free gloves to protect those with allergies or washable to protect the environment. Use gloves when:
- Cleaning
- Serving food
- Distributing materials (program supplies, recruitment giveaways, etc.)
For guidelines on handling snacks and meals refer to the “Planning for in-person meeting” section of this document.
