Unvaccinated kids still need masks at summer camp.
. Younger campers who haven’t been vaccinated can still generally not wear masks when doing things outdoors except for some specific circumstances. “In a camp setting where everybody is fully vaccinated, there’s no need for masking, there’s no need for distancing. There’s no need for screening, testing,” said Erin Sauber-Schatz, who heads up the CDC’s Community Interventions and Critical Populations Task Force, which wrote the guidance.
The change came after complaints that the CDC’s guidelines for camps were too restrictive and even members of Congress called on the agency to rethink its policies. But “even the updated guidance comes with a complex set of considerations that may prompt camps to change policies just days before they open,”
. This is particularly true of camps with younger children who can’t be vaccinated yet. And because of the nuances some may decide to continue enforcing a mask policy.Slate is covering the stories that matter to you. Become a Slate Plus member to support our work. Your first month is only $1.