TAF Health and Safety Plan & FAQ

Subject to change without notice. Last updated July 19, 2024.

The TAF Health and Safety Plan & FAQ will be updated as regularly as possible, based on changing guidelines and information.

Jump to: COVID-19 Protocols | FAQ

Introduction

The health and safety of our community is of paramount importance to the Taiwanese American Foundation (TAF). TAF has done its best to fulfill our mission of fostering personal growth and developing servant leaders while navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed our risk mitigation plans and health policies to reunite our community in 2021 and were able to successfully host our annual summer conference with minimal incidents. We have now learned a lot over the course of the years with different mitigation strategies to help stop the spread of communicable diseases in a communal environment and aim to use those various strategies for limiting spread of illnesses. We will still maintain strict protocols for any camper or attendee when any type of illness is suspected at camp.

The TAF Health and Safety Plan details the policies needed for us to safely operate in accordance with the latest data and strategies from the Centers for Disease Control, the American Camp Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Manchester University, and state public health authorities. We are always re-evaluating best practices and adapting to new conditions and guidance.

Please refer to TAF 2024 or contact a member of our team for more information on this year’s plans.

President Karen T. Lin, karen.lin@tafworld.org
Medical Director Karena Woo, RN, medical@tafworld.org
Executive Director Pamela Hung, ed@tafworld.org
Conference Director Alison Yeh, cd@tafworld.org

 

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

Jump to: Health Screening and Vaccinations | Masking | Housing and Rooming |  Dining and Meal Times | Communications

 

Health Screening and Vaccinations

As COVID-19 has been declared more endemic with seasonal transmission in relation to all other viruses such as those causing influenza, TAF has adjusted our COVID policies to reflect the lesser community transmission of the COVID virus and the availability of approved vaccines and medical interventions. As a result, TAF will no longer require any COVID screening or proof of current up-to-date COVID vaccinations., If you have any questions regarding the health and safety plan, please contact the Medical Director above.

All conference attendees will be asked as part of registration to securely share any health information which may impact a participant’s participation at TAF, including allergies, medical conditions, and mental health diagnoses. Participating in TAF and TAF activities will be at the discretion of the Medical Director. Anyone exhibiting symptoms of illness will be screened upon arrival either at TAF-operated bus stops or at Manchester University.  Please do not send your child to TAF if they are exhibiting any signs of any illness as TAF Staff are trained in the basic requirements of the safety and support of your child and are neither educators nor trained medical personnel.

  • Any camper or attendee is subject to additional screening as needed throughout the week if they exhibit symptoms of any illness or medical condition.
Registration Recommendations:

All attendees, regardless of age, are highly recommended to be fully up-to-date with COVID vaccines and all other mandated vaccines required for schools.

Masking

TAF will be mask-optional. In certain circumstances, TAF staff reserves the right to require masking if the medical staff deem that risk factors have increased at a small group, program, or community level.

TAF will highly recommend campers and attendees who are immunocompromised or live with family members who are immunocompromised to wear masks to ensure their safety and the safety of their family members.

TAF will not provide disposable masks for camp-wide use and participants are encouraged to bring their own personal supplies. TAFers may choose to bring appropriate reusable or disposable masks for their personal use.

  • If a TAFer brings their own reusable mask, they will be responsible for maintaining their own masks.
  • Personal reusable masks must follow TAF dress code requirements, in addition to adhering to proper effective mask guidelines.

Housing and Rooming

Campers are housed with their respective programs and assigned rooms at the Program Directors’ discretion. Parents/guardians may make a note during the registration process to request other rooming accommodations their camper needs for medical reasons. Although TAF cannot guarantee all requests, Program Directors will do their best to provide reasonable accommodations whenever possible.

The Sprouts Program will be housed in Oakwood Hall. The Juniors Programs will be housed in Helman Hall. The Junior High Program will be housed in East Hall. The Youth, Labs, and Parents Programs will be housed in Garver Hall. Other staff and attendees may be housed based on their involvement and responsibilities.

Manchester University will clean community-style residence hall restrooms daily.

Dining and Meal Times

Programs have staggered dining times scheduled to ensure a smooth flow of TAFers through the cafeteria based on capacity and also to open up and avoid crowding in the dining hall.

Communications

Upon successful registration, you will receive a confirmation email. In the following weeks, registered families will also receive an email including a TAF Orientation Packet (PDF), any safety measures which may come up before TAF, and any updates to protocols.

During the week of TAF:

  • When anyone is identified with a confirmed case of COVID-19, within 24 hours, our team will directly notify any campers, participants, and associated families who may have come into contact with the individual.
  • Camper-Parent contact (via phone) is encouraged every day, especially for younger campers.
  • For all other possible communicable diseases or illnesses, TAF will respond appropriately including notifying affected individual’s parents and consulting with the Medical Team for appropriate treatment.

After the week of TAF:

  • We will maintain full transparency with regards to TAF health updates, including any exposure notices upon confirmed COVID-19 test results while withholding any personally identifiable health information. Therefore, any family members or staff who test positive for COVID-19 immediately after TAF are encouraged to communicate with our Medical Director.
  • TAF will not be monitoring TAFers after they return home so any illnesses post-TAF should be discussed with your personal medical professionals.

Additionally, we will do our best to keep all parents informed through email announcements, newsletters, and social media (Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Instagram).

In the event that your child needs to be sent home early for any reason, including disruptive behavior, illness or injury, you will be immediately notified and expected to pick up your child as soon as possible. Parents/guardians should be prepared to make arrangements in advance.

 

FAQ

Jump to: COVID-19 Preparedness | Financial Information

COVID-19 Preparedness

My child and/or someone in my immediate family is immunosuppressed (i.e. higher risk for severe illness). Can we still participate this summer?

Out of an abundance of care and precaution, TAFers with any comorbidities or living as part of a higher-risk household should consult a physician before deciding to participate in TAF, a group community activity. Though we are taking extensive actions to keep the community safe, TAF is not able to guarantee that a person on our site will not be exposed to COVID-19 or any other illnesses. If you have any concerns, please contact the Medical Director (medical@tafworld.org) to set up a time to discuss how we can help.

How will TAF respond to a potential COVID-19 case or positive test during camp?

These protocols are subject to change. We will be testing symptomatic campers and staffers at camp, and isolating those individuals as we wait for results. The camper/staffer will be tested for COVID-19 with an on-site, TAF-administered rapid antigen test. 

Once an individual has a negative COVID-19 test and has been cleared of any infectious disease by our on-site Medical Team, they may return to normal camp activities.

  • If the camper tests positive for COVID-19, parents will need to make arrangements to pick up the camper as soon as possible.
  • If the camper tests negative with a fever, the camper will remain in isolation until the rapid COVID-19 test is negative. If symptoms are improving and the camper has been fever free for 24 hours, the camper can return back to activities wearing a mask, which we will provide. 
  • If the camper tests negative without a fever, isolation continues until the Medical Team determines it is safe for them to resume activities. If the symptoms were potentially respiratory, the camper may be required to wear a mask, which we will provide.
  • These protocols may also be used with campers who may have other communicable diseases that can easily spread such as gastrointestinal viruses, norovirus, other seasonal viral colds, etc., which may be prevalent in group settings.
What resources does TAF have in place to respond to illness at Camp?

As in previous years, we plan to have a team of volunteer medical staff who will be working and living on-site for the duration of TAF. They will be available throughout the week for medications, injuries, and sickness.

Financial Information

Will I get a refund if camp is canceled or my child needs to come home early?

If we have to cancel camp before the first day of the session, we will provide a complete refund.

If your child is sent home early from TAF due to medical reasons, we will do our best to issue a refund. Refunds will not be given for early dismissal due to homesickness or misconduct including disruptive behavior, TAF rules violations, illegal activities, or other actions such as intentionally causing injury to another TAFer. Parents may be held responsible if any such behavioral, medical, or mental issues are withheld from medical screening at registration, including not being able to participate in the TAF conference in future years.