COVID-19 Phase V (Overview)
KEY REVISIONS
Individuals are not required
to be vaccinated to participate in Girl Scouting unless required by
other entities (e.g., venues, facilities, public transportation,
and/or by state, tribal, local, and territorial governments.)
Note: Girl Scout activities that
involve travel may require proof of vaccinations based on
destination or mode of transportation.
Masking and social distancing are optional for most in-person Girl Scouting activities. See Masks & Social Distancing section for specific details. There are different masking and social distance guidelines for the 2022 Girl Scout Cookie Program and 2022 GSVSC Summer Camps. See 2022 Girl Scout Cookie Program guidelines and “Summer Camp” section for complete details.
ELIMINATIONS
NO routine COVID
pre-screening temperature checks and pre-screening forms; [NEW] #1081
COVID-19 Waiver Participation Agreement; replaces other
pre-screening forms . Must submit for each
participant (adult and youth), once per membership year, and
retained with troop/group and/or service unit records. (#1081 is not
required to be collected for in-person council-sponsored or service
unit program, event, gathering, or training when pre-registration is
required and there is record of attendance and participation).
NO COVID restrictions for indoor/outdoor gathering sizes. Follow normal venue facility capacity limits. Refer to the Safety Guidelines in Volunteer Essentials for the Girl Scout girl-to-adult ratios for proper supervision.
NO COVID restrictions for overnights, sleeping accommodations, and shared spaces. See ”Sleeping & Bathroom Accommodations“ for council policy and procedures for specific sleeping and bathroom accommodation guidelines.
NO COVID travel duration restrictions for local day, overnight, regional and national travel activities. Volunteers and girls are to review the Travel/Trips Safety Activity Checkpoints, and consult the destination's COVID-19 community levels before traveling. State, country, tribal, local, and territorial governments may have travel restrictions in place. When traveling regionally or nationally, plan to include additional adult volunteers above the current ratios in case of a COVID-19 exposure or positive COVID-19 test while traveling. See “Guidelines for Girl Scout Meetings, Activities, Programs & Travel” for specific Girl Scout guidelines.
NO COVID vaccination restrictions for extended regional and national travel activities. Local day, overnight, regional and national travel/trips are permitted without vaccinations unless required by the destination’s venues, facilities, public transportation, and/or by state, tribal, local, and territorial governments. Volunteers and girls are to review the Travel/Trips Safety Activity Checkpoints, and consult the destination's COVID-19 community levels before traveling. State, tribal, local, and territorial governments may have travel restrictions in place. See “Guidelines for Girl Scout Meetings, Activities, Programs & Travel” for specific Girl Scout guidelines.
REDUCTIONS
Carpooling, transporting Girl Scouts, and
public transportation are permitted; recommend masking and social
distancing when possible. Masking required when traveling to and
from summer day or overnight camp. See “Transportation
Guidelines“ and “Summer
Camp” section for specific Girl Scout guidelines.
PERMITTED
International travel* (including cruises) on a
limited basis. Tentative approval will be given for international
travel that occurs after May 1, 2022. *At least one year prior to trip
departure, volunteers must have completed GSVSC GS 203 International
Trip Training and a council-approved Intent
to Travel for International Trips (#2279) must be on file at council.
- Girl Scouts DO NOT travel to any locations ranked “Level 4: Do Not Travel” by the U.S. Department of State (even if the ranking is solely based on COVID-19 risk).
- Groups must obtain special permission from their local council to travel to locations ranked “Level 3: Reconsider Travel.”
- Troop/groups must have alternative plans should international travel activities not be approved or have to be postponed or canceled. Strongly recommend purchase of travel insurance, specifically Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) insurance.
- [New] GSUSA has indicated no further extensions can be given to extend the use of troop funds for all members who are graduating high school in 2022, or graduated in 2021/2020. All members who are graduating high school in 2022, or graduated in 2021/2020, should work out a plan to spend down their funds before their girl membership expires on 9/30/22.
- Additional supervision above and beyond the adult-to-girl ratio may be required in case of a COVID-19 exposure or positive COVID-19 test while traveling.
- Volunteers and girls are to review the Travel/Trips Safety Activity Checkpoints and consult each destination’s COVID-19 guidelines.
- Approval for cruise ship travel will be based on CDC Cruise Ship Travel during COVID-19 guidance & Cruise Ship Status Dashboard statuses. Cruise must be rated Green or Yellow for council approval.
- Vaccinations/proof of vaccinations may be required based on destination. Country, tribal, local, and territorial governments may have additional travel restrictions in place. See “Guidelines for Girl Scout Meetings, Activities, Programs & Travel” for specific international/cruise ship travel Girl Scout guidelines.
REQUIRED
All participants (adult and youth) to submit of
a [NEW] ONE-TIME #1081
COVID-19 Waiver Participation Agreement, per membership year.
See form for specific instructions and detail.
All participants follow COVID mitigation and preventive guidance as indicated by the CDC. See COVID-19 Exposure Mitigation Guidelines for details.
All participants follow separate guidelines for 2022 Girl Scout Cookie Program.
All participants follow separate guidelines for 2022 summer camp (subject to change prior to first day of camp).
NEW CHANGES
VDH has refocused its contact tracing
efforts. Volunteers are able to handle reports of COVID-19 positive
tests or known exposures. See “Reporting
a COVID-19 Positive Test or Known Exposure” for specific guidelines.
GSUSA
has indicated no further extensions can be given to extend the use
of troop funds for all members who are graduating high school in
2022, or graduated in 2021/2020. All members who are graduating
high school in 2022, or graduated in 2021/2020, should work out a plan
to spend down their funds before their girl membership expires on
9/30/22. (This is because all funds earned on behalf of Girl
Scouts must be used to support girls’ experiences within Girl Scouts;
it cannot be used to support adult experiences, and members transition
out of girl membership the September after they graduate from high
school. Due to COVID, limited extensions were previously made for
girls who graduated in 2020 and 2021 to extend use of funds, but no
further extensions are permissible.
