| PREPARATION INSTRUCTION TO UNITS As always, the safety of our scouts, volunteers, employees, and community is our top priority. Precautions and mitigation strategies are important, but they cannot eliminate the potential for exposure to COVID-19, or any other illness for that matter. People with COVID-19 may show no signs or symptoms of illness, but they can spread the virus. Some people may be contagious before symptoms occur. The fact is that someone with COVID-19 may pass the required health screenings and be allowed into an event. Everyone: scouts, volunteers, and their families, must evaluate their unique circumstances and make an informed decision before choosing to attend in-person activities. BSA and the Blue Grass Council (hereafter “BGC”) have adopted the CDC developed “Concentric Circle” concept as the guideline for operating events and activities. The Concentric Circle (hereafter “circle”) uses small group strategies, maintaining separation and distancing to reduce opportunities for interaction and thus exposure. The guidelines detailed in this narrative will help you understand the policies that have been adopted by the BGC for all activities at all program levels, and will define how to prepare your unit to participate in activities. Unit Leaders are expected to access and read the following documents so they understand the Concentric Circle Concept, its objective, and the guidelines that apply to the BGC: - CDC “Concentric Circle Concept”
- Blue Grass Council COVID-19 Screening, Participation and Waiver Form
A concentric circle may have up to, but no more than 50 members, including participating scouts, their parent(s) if they are with them, their unit leaders, and the assigned event staff for the circle. Persons that are not registered as BSA members must also provide all documentation, and comply with guidelines and procedures applicable to all other attendees at an activity or event. Within the circle there will be “small groups” of not more than 10 people; that includes scouts, their parent(s), and unit leaders. IN ADVANCE OF THE EVENT In addition to this document unit leaders will be given instruction on how to access specific information applicable to the event or activity. Unit leaders should identify the small groups that are needed well in advance of the event. The registration form is designed to include the name of each individual in the small group. Registration should be submitted (by the date indicated). Once registered there will be no “add-on’s” allowed, and absolutely no “walk ins” at the event. Once identified the small groups should maintain separation from each other right up to departure. At the time of departure, keeping the small groups isolated from one another, a screening should be performed using the “Blue Grass Council COVID-19 Screening, Participation and Waiver Form” for each person. It should be signed by the person being screened or parent or guardian as designated by the form. The form MUST BE submitted at the screening that will be performed at entry into the venue. Anyone failing to do so will not be allowed into the activity or venue. Note that paper transference is to be kept to a minimum. The forms and documents you will need will be available here online. Conveyance to the event must maintain separation of the small groups. Configure transportation assignments accordingly. If a multi passenger vehicle; van or bus, is used comply with the guidelines for distancing within the vehicle. There should be instruction about lunches, water, toileting and the like, provided to you in the online material. ARRIVAL AT THE VENUE You will be screened again before being allowed to enter the venue. If the event is large, involving several different circles, you may be assigned an arrival time. This ensures that no more than one circle will be present during screening. Be observant of these times so that separation can be maintained. If anyone within a small group shows symptoms, or otherwise fails the screening, the entire small group will be denied entry into the venue. You will be given some sort of readily visible, likely color coded, wrist band or card on a neck lanyard. All members of your circle will wear these at all times. Your pre-event planning materials should have indicated a gathering location that is separate from other circles. Remember that you must maintain small group isolation in this process. You will meet the circle leaders and activity coordinators there. Their presence in a circle will have been considered in forming the circle so that no more than 50 people will be in the circle. Once the circle has formed, maintaining small group isolation and distancing, at the direction of the circle leaders, you will proceed to follow your schedule of activities. Any necessary maps or other information may have been provided online with your schedule and other materials. If anyone during the activity develops any of the symptoms identified in the “Blue Grass Council COVID-19 Screening, Participation and Waiver Form” have the circle leader contact the event leader/coordinator. This should be done by cell phone or radio. They will give the circle leader instructions on how to isolate and proceed. If this occurs at a unit event the unit should complete an Incident Report with the Blue Grass Council. If the event or activity involves more than one day, or involves camping, screening will be done at the start of each day. Directions for that will be included in your materials. It is expected that distancing guidelines and one person per tent requirement will be observed. When you have completed your scheduled activities, you should depart as quickly as possible, again observing all distancing guidelines and maintaining the separation of small groups. | 
