Overnight summers camps are a no-go this year.
In the latest COVID-19 update, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that the province is banning overnight camps for children and youth.
“Some of the things that we would normally be doing in the summer are not safe to do right now because of the virus,” Dr. Henry said. “Recognizing this, I have put a new provincial health officer order in place restricting the operation of overnight camps for children and youth.”
Henry said these types of camps usually have a large number of children, campers and counsellors coming from many different places.
“They often take place in more remote areas and physical distancing is very much a challenge in these situations.”
She’s recognizing that this may come as a disappointment for many.
“This is not forever, but it is this summer,” Henry said.
Day camps are still allowed, but Henry said large crowds are still very dangerous and can lead to an increase in COVID-19 cases.
“I would encourage everybody to focus on arranging day camps where staying outside in smaller groups is far easier to do and will be safe.”
