Health Practices

At Hume New England

These are our most current plans for our New England location, updated on December 10, 2021.
If you are joining us at our Hume Lake location, please see our Hume Lake Health Practices.
If you are joining us at our Hume SoCal location, please see our Hume SoCal Health Practices.

COVID-19 protocols can change rapidly, and as a result, we will keep this page updated with the latest information.

Screening for Youth Camps

  • All participants are asked to self-monitor for COVID symptoms and to strive to minimize exposure to anyone with possible COVID exposure.
  • Obtain a negative NAAT/PCR test no more than 72 hours prior to arrival or a negative Antigen test no earlier than 24 hours prior to arrival regardless of vaccination status.
    • Churches will be provided the option of administering rapid tests at their church before students are transported to camp in place of lab testing.
      • This testing must be under the supervision and direction of a medical professional such as a physician, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, RN, LPN, or other medical professional trained in administering COVID-19 tests who attests that the tests were administered and interpreted correctly and provides documentation of the negative results of all campers and counselors who were tested.
  • Complete a pre-arrival health screening.
  • Hume employs the use of thermal imaging technology in our dining room to monitor the temperature of guests. Temperatures of guests will be taken at least once daily.

Screening for Guest Groups

  • All participants are asked to self-monitor for COVID symptoms and to strive to minimize exposure to anyone with possible COVID exposure.
  • Complete a pre-arrival health screening.
  • To help prevent the spread and early departure from a Hume experience, Hume strongly recommends all adult and family guests, obtain a negative NAAT/PCR test no more than 72 hours prior to arrival or a negative Antigen test no earlier than 24 hours prior to arrival regardless of vaccination status.
  • Hume employs the use of thermal imaging technology in our dining room to monitor the temperature of guests. Temperatures of guests will be taken at least once daily.

Masking

  • Staff, campers, and counselors will wear masks or face coverings when indoors and in the presence of other cabin groups. This includes when in the Dining Hall and Coffee Shop (except when seated to eat), in indoor recreation spaces, and when entering and exiting Hilltop for chapel.
  • Masks are recommended for guest groups, but not required.

Indoor Areas

  • Chapel (Hilltop Building): Cabin groups will sit together while maintaining 6 feet of distance from other groups.
  • Dining: Cabin groups will sit together.

Isolation & Quarantine

  • Hume New England’s Communicable Disease Plan guides the process for identifying, isolating, and discharging symptomatic campers and staff as well as contacting parents and appropriate authorities.

Cleaning & Disinfection

  • Our Staff performs thorough cleaning in high-traffic areas and public areas using cleaning agents approved for use against COVID-19 on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved list and responsibly used according to product instructions.

Ventilation

  • Hume employs the use of Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization Technology™ units in Hilltop, the Old Chapel, Bethel Game Room, and the Nurse’s Station, to purify indoor air, reducing up to 98% of airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus.
  • For HVAC filtration, we will utilize MERV-13™ and MERV-8™ filters in high trafficked areas.
  • HVAC systems, internal fans, and operable windows will be kept functioning and operational to maintain good air circulation within the camp buildings throughout the season.

Hume is committed to the health and safety of all our guests and staff.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
info@hume.org • 1 (413) 528-3604.

 

FAQ

What happens if my test is positive?
Anyone who tests positive within 10 days prior to coming to camp, is required to stay home. Members of the individual’s household are also asked to quarantine and not come to camp. Additionally, anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 is asked to stay home.

PCR Test 72 hours before or a Rapid Antigen Test 24 hours before arrival to camp. Test must be administered at a doctor’s office, clinic, hospital, urgent care, CVS or pharmacy, county or public health departments, etc., and verified by a licensed healthcare or testing professional.

What is Antigen testing?
Antigen tests detect proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that form during the infection cycle and indicate that a person has an active infection. Rapid antigen tests offer several important benefits. They are highly portable, scalable, easy-to-use and provide a flexible approach to helping more people in more places get access to reliable testing in a cost effective way.

No, at this time Hume does not conduct randomized testing.

  • The individual is immediately isolated from others and will be sent home.
  • In case of a positive test or presumptive positive diagnosis, the entire cabin/cohort/family will be sent home, regardless of vaccination status, to reduce potential exposure.
  • Anyone else in close contact with the individual will also be sent home. This includes individuals who have been unmasked and in the same vehicle with the symptomatic individual as well as those who have eaten at the same table or sat unmasked in chapel or other indoor space within 6 feet of the individual. To reduce exposure and reduce the number of people sent home in case of a possible COVID case, we recommend cohorting: having cabin groups eat together and sit together in chapel. We also recommend masking when indoors and in close contact with others, including when in a vehicle with non-family members.
  • When a camper or entire cabin/cohort/family is sent home, the church or family of the camper is asked to coordinate pick-up and associated costs.
  • Hume Registration will prorate the cost of camp by the number of nights the camper was in camp before testing positive or being sent home early due to close contact with an individual who tests positive.

May We Pray for You?

Prayer is one of the pillars of everything we do—and in these trying times, we have unceasing faith in the Creator of the universe. He encourages us to bring our troubles and praises to Him. In that same light, we would love to pray for you. The Hume staff brings every single request before the Lord.

Let us know how we can pray for you.

Please pray that we will be able to resume camp operations as soon as possible and that God will use us at this time to point people to Him.