PRIOR TO COURSE START

• Participants (and parents/guardians of participants under the age of 18) will read and adhere to the requirements listed on this website. Doing so is for the protection of your investment in the course, as OBCA does not offer refunds due to illness, including COVID-19.
• Participants must be COVID-19 symptom-free at course start, and advise OBCA if they have exhibited any symptoms, tested positive, or been in close contact with someone testing positive or showing symptoms of COVID-19 within 5 days of course start.
• Symptoms of a respiratory virus include fever, chills, fatigue (tiredness), cough, runny or stuffy nose, headache, chest discomfort, decrease in appetite, diarrhea, muscle or body aches, new loss of taste or smell, sneezing, sore throat, vomiting, weakness, and/or wheezing.
• OBCA recommends that you follow the CDC’s core prevention strategies to minimize the chance of getting sick before your course:

1. Stay up to date with immunizations. This includes being up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination, and getting a flu shot for winter programs.
2. Practice good hygiene (practices that improve cleanliness).
3. Take steps for cleaner air.

• Additional prevention strategies you can choose to use, to further protect yourself and others include:

Masks (especially while traveling)

Physical distancing

Tests

Testing

• ALL participants on Open Enrollment & Group expeditions need to submit pre-course test results from a FDA-authorized COVID-19 test. At-home tests are widely available at CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart. Check with your health insurance to see if you qualify for free tests from them, or from the USPS. Please note that antibody tests will not be accepted.
• NAAT/PCR viral tests need to be taken within 72 hours of course start. The Lucira test is in this category.
• Antigen tests need to be taken within 24 hours of course start. Most OTC tests fall into this category, including Ellume, iHealth and Abbot BinaxNOW. If you get this test, DO NOT take the test too early as results will not be accepted.
• Submitting Results: OBCA must receive proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to course start, or the participant may not be allowed to start the course. The week prior to course, OBCA will email you a link to submit test results to our team. Your submission must include the following information: image of your test, date and time of the test, name of the individual tested, result of the test.

• Recovery from COVID: You will need to submit a negative test to attend. If you have recently recovered from COVID-19, a NAAT/PCR test may still reflect a positive result even though you are no longer infectious. Antigen tests are the better option for the very recently recovered, and most at-home tests are this type. If you have COVID-19 just prior to course, please disclose this to us and be in contact with OBCA.

Travel - Open Enrollment Courses

• If a participant uses commercial travel, regardless of vaccination status, they agree to wear a mask and comply as closely as possible with physical distancing and hygiene precautions while in transit to course start. OBCA and CDC recommends participants wear a N95, KN95 or KF94 mask to mitigate risk.

Backup Travel Plans

In the case of an early departure due to a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, either at course start or during the course, participants must have a backup departure plan that allows for departure within 48 hours. Backup plans should take into account the CDC guidelines for Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You’re Sick and the CDC Guidance for travel with COVID. While you are infectious with a respiratory virus, OBCA recommends you do not use public transportation that would put other travelers at risk.

• Preferred: Plan to depart from the Outward Bound program location by private vehicle, providing name and contact information of pickup person with a plan to recover prior to public transportation.
• Alternative: Plan to request that Outward Bound provide transportation to a hotel near the airport, provided the participant meets the hotel's age requirements for check-in (usually 18+). 

COURSE START

• Participants will be screened upon arrival by program staff. If feverish or experiencing signs or symptoms of a respiratory virus (see above section), participants may not be allowed to start the course and will be sent home. Outward Bound courses are physically demanding and once the group departs, participants will not have a place to rest and recover.
• If a participant tests positive for COVID-19 prior to course, at course start, during course, or refuses to take the test, they will not be allowed to join the course and will be sent home.
• If a participant is sent home, cancellation policies will apply for Open Enrollment participants. OBCA strongly suggests families research insurance options. More information can be found on the Policies website.
• OBCA may administer a COVID-19 test at course start. This is a backup precaution, and does not take the place of the pre-course viral testing requirement.

DURING COURSE

• A course can start without physical distancing or mask-wearing requirements depending on current variants and their ability to cause breakthrough cases.
• Enhanced personal hygiene will be practiced on every course.
• Instructors will conduct daily health checks. Anyone experiencing symptoms of a respiratory virus will be evaluated and tested for COVID-19 at the earliest convenience, and participants may need to depart the course due to COVID-19. If so, participants will follow their backup travel plan and depart within 48 hours. 
• Participants will wear approved face masks when requested to do so. Please see your packing list for requirements.

OUR STAFF & INSTRUCTORS

• All OBCA employees instructing or supporting multi-day/overnight expeditions will be cleared to work based on the current CDC, national, state and county guidelines at the time of the expedition. 
• Staff will follow the same CDC core prevention strategies our students are asked to follow.
• Staff will take utilize COVID-19 testing and masking as additional prevention strategies.