COVID-19 Resources

Updated: November 11, 2020

Whether near or far, together or apart, we want to be your source for community resources and engaging activities you can do at home. We’ll continually update this site, so check back often! We know this is a challenging moment for Girl Scouts everywhere. We will get through this as we always do – as one Movement, united in our mission of serving girls.

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Messages from CEO Kimberly Trueba toggle arrow

February 11, 2021

Girl Scouts,

Following Governor Sisolak’s announcement on Thursday, February 11, GSSNV is approving the following guidelines for in-person meetings and activities beginning on February 15:

Public gatherings and events (including troop meetings and indoor and outdoor gatherings) are open to 100 individuals or 35% of fire code capacity.
If dividing girls into smaller groups for an activity, girls should be in groups of two to three girls.
If attending a large event, girls shall remain in their group for the duration of the event and limit contact with other troops.
Social distancing is to be maintained throughout the activity
Face masks are required to be worn throughout the activity.

Due to the changing nature of COVID-19, Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada’s 2021 cookie program will continue operate as contactless booths or limited contact locations. GSSNV will not be participating in or approving in-person cookie booths at retail or community partners such as Wal-Mart, Smith’s Food and Drug, etc.

Council staff is here to assist you! To keep the number of people in the office at a minimum, please schedule an appointment with council staff (including the council shop) by calling 702-385-3677 or by emailing customerservice@girlscoutsnv.org.

Thank you for all the work you do now and year-round for Girl Scouts and for navigating the pandemic with us.

For more information, please refer to the GSSNV Covid-19 guidance page.

Yours in Girl Scouting,

Kimberly Trueba

CEO

Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada

COVID-19 Guidance for Meetings and Activities toggle arrow

Updated Feb. 15, 2022:

GSSNV COVID-19 Safety Requirements
These updated safety requirements are being provided as of August 17, 2021. Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada (GSSNV) may modify these safety requirements, from time to time as circumstances change. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to change as infection rates rise and fall in different areas. For additional information on the COVID-19 response follow the resources developed by the CDC or Nevada Health Response website.

As of February 11, 2022, face coverings are not required during Girl Scout meetings and activities. However, they may be required for council event activities where members maybe in close contact with one another for long periods of time. We encourage everyone to remember to live the Girl Scout Promise and Law and be kind to each other and respect one another as individuals.

To meet in person, troops are required to follow the safety guidelines referenced on this page and to check often for updates. All regular safety requirements must also be followed, for example girl to adult ratios as well as training and completion of the Overnight/Travel Activity Form before planning any overnight stays.

Public gatherings and event capacity restrictions are determined by the chosen meeting site. Troops must adhere to their policy.

Troop Leaders are responsible for ensuring required COVID-19 Forms are submitted and saved for each activity/meeting instance until further notice.
Physical distancing is highly recommended throughout the activity, whether indoors or outside.
- Outdoor activities are preferred, however troops may meet indoors(including in homes) when physical distancing is possible
Face coverings are optional during Girl Scout meetings and activities.
GSSNV Council properties are available for use at this time.

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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 do not 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 prior to group interaction to confirm the individual is not running a fever and temperature is a normal 98.6 degrees. Members with 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 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 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 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 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 meeting, events and activities. As the COVID variants are constantly changing in severity GSSNV may modify safety requirements and require facial covering for certain council program 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.

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COVID-19 In-Person Criteria
All participants at in-person Girl Scout gatherings should meet this criteria:

Have none of the following symptoms of COVID-19: fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, feeling feverish as well as acute gastrointestinal problems, such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Have not had a fever over 100 degrees, without the use of fever reducing medications, within the last 72 hours.
Have not had a known exposure to COVID-19 or been in close contact with anyone that has tested positive within the last 14 days.
Have not traveled away from home or outside of Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada council jurisdiction within the last 14 days.
Have not travelled on a cruise ship within the last 14 days.

GSSNV Covid 19 Family Agreement
A signed GSSNV COVID-19 Family Agreement form is required for all in-person Girl Scout gatherings to protect attendees at meetings, trainings and girl program activities. The form will be available in electronic fillable format.

All attendees are required to complete, sign and submit to the troop leader (or organizer of the gathering).
All attendees must complete pre-screen form no more than 24 hours prior to gathering to participate.
All troop leaders are required to retain all copies of the pre-screen forms for 90 days after the gathering.

Reporting and communicating a positive COVID 19 test.

Troop leaders and families no longer need to contact GSSNV if a member or their family have tested positive for COVID. We ask that caregiver out of courtesy continue to let their leaders if their child is ill and follow your physician’s advice and take care of your little one so we can see her at the next troop meeting and Girl Scout event.

Return to Girl Scout Programming after COVID-19 Illness or Diagnosis
Members who have had COVID-19 symptoms and/or have tested positive for COVID-19 may resume Girl Scout meetings and activities after meeting the requirements below. These guidelines are based on CDC recommendations and many school district guidelines. It has been 14 days or more since:

The individual first had symptoms;
The individual had a fever (without medication); and
Since coughing and shortness of breath have improved.

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Meeting options may need to be flexible based on the fluid nature of COVID-19 risk. It is suggested that even if troops meet in-person they should host virtual meetings/activities to ensure a varied experience for girls and ensure opportunities for girls/adult who are not able to meet in person. Use the Safety Activity Checkpoints for Virtual Meetings to guide your meeting plans. To learn more about holding virtual meetings visit our Girl Scout at home page at: Getting Started with Virtual Troop Meetings or attend a “Leading a Girl Scout Zoom Meeting” training.

To ensure girls have a well-rounded experience plan to have an in-person meet up so girls can have fun together. It is important that we have accurate records for troop meeting locations. If your troop meetings will be mainly virtual or you have changes to your meeting place let us know as soon as possible. Contact us at customerservice@girlscoutsnv.org or use the GSSNV Troop Information Update form anytime there are changes to your troop.

The Volunteer Toolkit has resources that will help you in plan a fun and interactive virtual meeting. if you want to learn more about hosting a virtual troop meeting register to attend a GSSNV How to Plan it Out – VTK edition course.

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There are many things to consider as you are planning to meet in person as changes may have occurred since you last met. We encourage troop leaders to hold a virtual meeting with parents/caregivers before your plan your first in-person meeting/activities. Our COVID-19 First Meeting Plan is a useful guide to help plan your first in-person meeting. Consider the following:

Your families are comfortable for their girls to meet in person
Able to provide a virtual blended meeting for girls that aren’t able to participate in person can join via a meeting platform
The size of your troop is able to meet at your meeting space and maintain social distancing
Discuss the GSSNV safety requirements and how parents can help practice with their girls the importance of wearing a mask and maintain social distance during troop meeting/activities.

Consent to Participate
Due to COVID-19 we have added additional forms that must be completed. Before in-person troop meetings take place or continue and upon receiving a copy of guidelines/safety measures from the leader, the caregiver/parent is required to complete and return the GSSNV COVID-19 Family Agreement prior to a girl’s participation for every in-person event, meeting, or activity. Please be sure to review additional details on the required troop cleaning, mask, social distancing, and troop travel protocols outlined in the Troop Activity Information.

We have updated our troop meeting permission form for the 2020-2021 troop year. Have caregivers/parents sign the updated GSSNV COVID-19 Troop Meeting Permission form prior to their girls joining an in-person activity/meeting.

Taking Attendance
Troops must take attendance at each troop meeting or event in order to Troops must take attendance at each troop meeting or event in order to insure there can be adequate contact tracing if a participant is later diagnosed with COVID-19. Attendance can be recorded by a troop adult in their person cell phone, on paper and kept in the troop notebook, or recorded in the Volunteer Toolkit. The troop leadership team is responsible for ensuring that this information can be made available if needed.

Troop Meeting Space
Outdoor spaces where social distancing can be maintained are strongly recommended for meetings. Get advance permission from the property owner or the jurisdiction that provides the location.

For meetings held at public facilities, contact the facility ahead of time and ask:

Is the space cleaned, and touch surfaces (i.e., tabletops, light switches, chairs, etc.) sanitized, at least daily?
Who else uses the space (how often, what size is the group)? Is the space cleaned between groups?
What type of faucets / soap dispensers are available in the restroom (sensory or manual)?

Then, consider whether you can supplement any practices that are less ideal. For example, if you will arrive after another user group, plan to bring sanitizing wipes or disinfectant spray to get the space ready for your troop. Another example: if faucets are manual, take some time to show girls how to shut them off with a paper towel. Use paper towels for doorknobs whenever possible.

Meetings may not be held in fitness centers or gyms, where a greater risk for contracting the virus may exist. Schools or churches may not permit outside groups on premises, so always check and confirm ahead of time.

Troop Meetings in the Home
GSUSA and GSSNV strongly suggests no meetings in the home out of concern that there would be greater risk of exposure to other family members. The recommendation is to stay away from in-home meetings for the time being. Suggested meeting sites – in the park, community centers, or reserve a time at the Scout Houses/council office. If you would like to learn other suggestion for meeting sites please contact Membership Support team at customerservice@girlsoutsnv.org.

Troop Meeting Size
Refer to the adult-girl ratio in GSSNV Volunteer Essentials. At a minimum there must be at least two unrelated trained and background checked adults at every meeting.

Snacks and Meals

For troop meeting and event with food served follow the safety tips below:

Prioritize use of “grab-n-go” items that are pre-packaged.
Encourage girls to bring their own foods to eat (bag lunch or dinner)
Encourage girls not to share their food after having touched it, such as a bag of chips.
Individually wrapped items are recommended.
If providing snacks, especially if unwrapped, have one person, wearing gloves, hand out items to each person, such as with cupcakes or cookies.
Use a serving spoon or scoop rather than reaching into a bag or bowl of snacks.
If serving family style, have one person, wearing clean gloves, serve everyone on clean plates
Use disposable plates, forks, napkins, etc. when possible.
Encourage girls to bring foods they can easily cook themselves (a prepacked foil pack) or hotdog for outdoor cooking.
Ensure everyone handling food, those serving, girls, adults, wash hands (even if they will be wearing gloves) prior to any food prep or meals, following CDC handwashing guidelines.
If sharing outdoor cooking utensils (roasting forks), they should be washed and sanitized between each use or bring enough utensils so that each person gets their own.
Indoor dining maintains 6-foot social distancing during mealtimes.
Prioritize and make available outdoor seating areas ideally with 6 feet of physical distance; aim to decrease the density by as much as half. For example, if a table typically seats six, seat only three girls and adults at that table.

Restrooms
Most public restrooms will regulate the number of people using the restroom at the same time, depending on the size. If there is no regulator or signage, have volunteers ensure girls take appropriate turns to maintain social distancing and that they wear their masks in the restrooms. It is ideal to have automatic flushers and sensory faucets to wash hands. If these are not available, girls and adults should get in the habit of using tissue or paper towels to open doors and latches, touching as little as possible. If the restroom is large, have girls use every other stall and avoid using stalls with a person in the stall next to them at the same time. Restrooms and toilets are fraught with germs normally, and more so now considering the contagion of coronavirus.

Transportation
Individual parents should drop off and pick up their own girls from meetings. Carpooling and public transportation should be avoided, where possible, to maintain social distancing.

Carpooling may occur based on the comfort level of the troop/group. If carpooling:

Two unrelated adults and two passengers (4 people) to a vehicle
Disinfect vehicle’s high touch areas before and after each trip
Girls and adults wear masks for the entire trip
Keep car window opened, at least slightly, to circulate fresh air.
Troop leader retains list of each vehicle’s occupants for 90 days

Remember, sustained contact within less than six (6) feet for longer than ten (10) minutes within an enclosed area creates high risk for virus transmission, so be very careful with carpool decisions.

CDC guidance for ride shares and drivers for hire may be helpful as an additional reference when evaluating motor vehicle transportation or car-pooling: Ride Shares and Drivers for Hire

Service Unit Meeting Events
As much as possible, please hold your meetings virtually. If a Service Unit is planning an in-person event, verify the council COVID-19 participant capacity phase supports your event occupancy and contact your Membership Support Specialist for approval. Due to the uncertainty of COVID-19 we recommend that you plan a virtual option for your in-person event.

Service Units should:

Events should follow the COVID-19 safety requirements listed in this document, GSSNV Volunteer Essentials and Safety Activity Checkpoints
Parents/caregivers are to sign the GSSNV COVID-19 Family Agreement form
The Service Unit is to keep a roster of all attendees attending the event
Participants are to maintain 6-foot social distancing

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Day Trips and Activities
In conjunction with Safety Activity Checkpoints, follow the same guidance in the Troop Meetings and Avoiding Exposure sections in this document. Call ahead to the facility or vendor to confirm that they are following CDC and state health department guidelines. If activity or sporting equipment is being provided, ask the provider if they wipe down equipment in between uses, similar to equipment at the gym. Make whatever appropriate accommodations that are needed and if necessary, cancel the event/activity. Always bring your First Aid kit with the supplies listed in the First Aid section of this document.

Travel and Overnight Stays
Overnights outside of the state of Nevada are allowed at this time. International travel is still pending further guidance.

Always complete the Overnight/Travel Activity form before planning an overnight stay and follow the safety guidelines included in this document. To reserve a space at our council properties follow the reservation procedures listed on the GSSNV website.

Extended Travel
Overnights outside of the state of Nevada are allowed at this time. International travel is still pending further guidance. We will provide updates on travel guidelines via council e-publications, website and our social media channels.

Graduating Senior Funds Extension Guidelines toggle arrow

Graduating Seniors Extension Guidelines

Camping

At this time, COVID safety requirements have been relaxed, however we encourage members to maintain personal hygiene and social distancing when possible.

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As GSSNV has returned to in-person meetings and activities, Volunteer and Girl High Award trainings will begin to be offered in-person in the near future. In an effort to minimize contact and risk to our volunteers, we will continue to offer virtual training options for most of courses in addition to in-person opportunities. A list of our training courses is available on our council website under the GSSNV Event calendar.

Classes That Require In-person Training:
There are courses that require in-person attendance to ensure that the participants are able to perform the necessary skills to pass the class. In-person courses will resume in the month of April. Visit the GSSNV Event calendar for available courses.

Courses that require in-person training:

Outdoor Basics (also includes an online pre-requisite)
First Aid (also includes an online pre-requisite) - Please familiarize yourself with GSSNV First Aid requirements before meeting in person

Virtual Troop Meetings

Guidance

Before any online meetings with girls, please be sure to review Safety Activity Checkpoints - Virtual Troop Meetings and the COVID-19 Guidance for Meetings and Activities!

We have included a list of free and low-cost conferencing tools that could be useful to you in support of virtual meetings and events. We encourage troop leaders to look at these and alternative options and discuss with parents and girls the best solution for your troop’s needs during this challenging time.

While all of these options have a free version, please note that you may be prompted to consider upgraded versions for a subscription fee.

We want to know what's popular! Let us know what platform you like best for your troop meetings.

Need help getting started? Check out Getting Started With Virtual Troop Meetings for important tips, a sample troop agenda and an introduction to Zoom!

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WhatsApp (mobile messaging)

Zoom

If you have issues with these virtual options, reach out to us at customerservice@girlscoutsnv.org and we may be able to help.