Measles and camp staff

[blue bag nurse]

Do your camps allow staff members with immunization exemptions to work at camp? I'm talking staff, not campers. My camp sent out an email, very clearly stating that no one can work at camp unless they have a certificate or titers with them. My first question, as the nurse who will be monitoring this, is are we going to accept exemptions? I was told "it will be reviewed closely."

Right. that's my job, I review all the forms during staff week. I'm asking for clarification, but have gotten no answers. I emailed again today and expressed my discomfort with the situation, and raised a few other questions. I was told they were talking with their insurance carrier and they would get back to me.

I feel like I'm being blown off and I'm over reacting. I've been told that so far everything is fine. Well of course it is, but I just feel like we need a PLAN in place to deal with staff who show up with either an exemption or no forms.

Are your camps addressing this? Do you accept exemptions? What is the plan if someone has nothing. You know that one who says "but I sent them in!"

And just to round out the picture, I've been with this camp a long time. It's weird for my questions not to be answered. It's also weird for them not ask my opinion of a medical issue. So I feel like it isn't being taken seriously, or there is a "wait and see"sort of attitude right now.

Opinions, helps, advice, anything appreciated! I looked at the ACAs article and #2 on the list is to decide if you accept exemptions.

[UTVOL3]

I have no advice but I wanted to say I am right there with you. With the kids, we can just say- we go by the rules for school entry in our state. That doesn't help with adults, though. A lot of our staff come from overseas as well, which can further confound things.

[blue bag nurse]

Yep, overseas staff too. So many things to think about that no one is taking very seriously. Ugh. Thanks for the empathy!

[VioletKaliLPN, LPN]

Shoot, as soon as the outbreak began I said to myself, TITERS. I am not taking a chance that my vaccination was good enough.. They are telling a few age ranges that we may need another.

[UTVOL3]

22 hours ago, blue bag nurse said:

Yep, overseas staff too. So many things to think about that no one is taking very seriously. Ugh. Thanks for the empathy!

So I talked to my director a little about this last night. In the past we have only required staff (all age 18 and up at our camp) show proof of updated tetorifice immunization.

He is considering saying he needs proof of measles immunization too, but we aren't sure we can even demand that from adults, especially since most of them have already signed contracts. He is going to put it out to his camp director forum and ask what other camps are doing. I'll update if I hear anything.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

I think this year - now that multiple cities are dealing with epidemics - that a titer and a booster are good ideas. Most of us who were born before the 70s maybe had one vaccine...I did not titer positive so I got a booster. Simple as that.

[Feral.Cat.Herder, RN]

I was immunized as a child before 1970 and when I went back to college for RN I had to get titers for MMR, Tdap and HBV. I had no immunity for measles nor HBV and when I went into 7th grade as a child I did not have to get the Tdap. I had to get MMR and HBV series as well as a Tdap booster.