What is already known about this topic? Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of Prevention strategies to reduce SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in overnight camps.

What is added by this report? During June–August 2021, a total of 7,173 campers and staff members attended nine U.S. overnight camps that implemented multiple Prevention strategies including high vaccination coverage (>93% among eligible persons aged ≥12 years); prearrival and frequent screening tTesting (38,059 tests); and additional concomitant Prevention measures. Nine laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and no secondary infections were detected.

What are the implications for public health practice? Implementation of high vaccination coverage coupled with multiple Prevention strategies is critical to averting COVID-19 outbreaks in congregate settings, including overnight camps. These findings highlight important guiding principles for school and youth-based COVID-19 Prevention protocols.

Most U.S. overnight youth camps did not operate during the summer of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic* (1). Several that did operate demonstrated that multiple Prevention strategies, including pre- and postarrival tTesting for SARS-CoV-2, the Virus that causes COVID-19, masking, and physical distancing helped prevent the introduction and spread of COVID-19; in contrast, camps that relaxed Prevention strategies, such as requiring a single prearrival test without subsequent tTesting, experienced outbreaks (2–4). The availability of COVID-19 vaccines for persons aged ≥12 years enabled implementation of an additional Prevention strategy that was not available in summer 2020. This study assessed the number of COVID-19 cases and potential secondary spread among 7,173 staff members and campers from 50 states, 13 countries, and U.S. military overseas bases at nine independently operated U.S. summer youth camps affiliated with the same organization. The camps implemented multiple Prevention strategies including vaccination, tTesting, podding (cohorting), masking, physical distancing, and hand hygiene during June–August 2021. Vaccination coverage was 93% among eligible persons aged ≥12 years.† All staff members (1,955) and campers (5,218) received site-specific, protocol-defined screening tTesting, which included prearrival tTesting and screening tests during the camp session (38,059 tests). Screening tTesting identified six confirmed COVID-19 cases (one in a staff member and five in campers) by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tTesting (screening test positivity rate = 0.02%). Three additional cases (in two staff members and one camper) were identified based on symptoms and were confirmed by RT-PCR tTesting. Testing for SARS-CoV-2, isolation, and quarantine in a population with high vaccination coverage resulted in no known secondary Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 identified during camp. Implementation of multicomponent strategies is critical for Prevention of COVID-19 outbreaks in congregate settings, including overnight youth camps.

During 2021, each of the nine affiliated camps designed site-specific COVID-19 protocols with guidance from their organization’s national medical committee, CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Camp Association, and state and local health departments (5–7). In March 2021, camp staff members became eligible for vaccination as group 1b (frontline essential workers) (8). All camps strongly recommended vaccination for eligible persons; seven of nine camps required staff members aged ≥17 years to be fully vaccinated before camp arrival. Data collection for this study included documentation of COVID-19 protocols, demographic and vaccination characteristics of camp populations, results of SARS-CoV-2 screening tTesting, characteristics of persons who received positive test results, and actions taken in response to cases. Deidentified demographic information, tTesting counts, and descriptions of positive tests and confirmed cases were submitted via a secure portal. Institutional Review Board approval and waiver of informed consent were granted through NorthShore University HealthSystems (Evanston, Illinois).

Suggested citation for this article: Van Naarden Braun K, Drexler M, Rozenfeld RA, et al. Multicomponent Strategies to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Transmission — Nine Overnight Youth Summer Camps, U.S. June–August 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 1 October 2021.

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