Swine Flu Alive and Well at Summer Camp
07/02/2009 14:40
Coming soon to a summer camp near you... Swine flu. The pesty virus is breaking out at summer camps nationwide, leaving countless organizations scrambling to determine a course of action. With an estimated 11 million kids and adults attending camps this summer – a fair share of them church-related – this is quickly becoming a problem of escalating concern. And get this: some camps are experiencing and treating breakouts of flu-related illnesses, but not testing for the actual H1N1 virus. A source close to Church Solutions is experiencing the frustration firsthand with a teen camp counselor quarantined at a camp facility. The once-healthy teen has tested positive for influenza A, of which H1N1 is a strain; however, only the CDC and state health departments will do the actual test for H1N1 – and only when patients are hospitalized and symptomatic for several days. The suspicion is that the agencies don’t want to know numbers or cases at the local level. Journalist or not, I’d say that story could be more damaging than reporting a few cases of the swine flu. The aforementioned family and teen (who has been diagnosed with viral pneumonia), and others in this situation could use your prayers. There are many challenges with poor communication, isolation of children and mass exposure of the virus – both previous and ongoing through the summer. If you or your church participates in or hosts a camp, make sure you’re well-prepared on all fronts (medical personnel, contingency plan, internal and external communications, media relations). Let us know your experiences and we’ll help keep our readers informed. God bless, Karen Related Articles: Churches and Swine Flu Maintaining a Church Crisis Communication Plan
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