Fair Havens West Nile/SARS Policy

Dear Valued Guest,

At Fair Havens we have always held the safety of our guests as our top priority. Due to recent health and safety issues, we would like to communicate our policy and recommendations regarding the recent concerns about the West Nile Virus and SARS. While it is unlikely that these two diseases will affect any of our staff or guests, we feel it important that we make you aware of our plans to ensure that every effective precaution can be taken. We have been in contact with the Durham Region Health Unit, the Canadian Christian International and other local Christian camps and have set out some simple measures to ensure that we all have a safe and enjoyable stay at Fair Havens.

West Nile Virus
West Nile Virus is a relatively new disease that is carried by the Culex Pipien or common household mosquito. These mosquitoes are most commonly found in urban areas and breed rapidly in any standing water. While it is less likely that these mosquitoes will be found at Fair Havens, we still encourage you to take the necessary precautions to protect you and your family. The best way to avoid the possible threat of West Nile is to make sure that everyone in your family is aware of some simple facts about the spread and symptoms of West Nile and the easiest and most effective ways to safeguard yourself from mosquito bites.

• Most mosquitoes in this area will not be carriers of West Nile Virus. The majority of people who are bitten by a mosquito with West Nile show either no signs of infection or contract West Nile Flu. This presents with the same symptoms as any other flu and should be treated in the same manner.
• West Nile Virus can only be spread by mosquitoes, not from person to person or person to animal contact.
• If you experience any flu-like symptoms make sure to notify the camp nurse or office registrar and get plenty of rest. If these symptoms persist for longer than two weeks or you experience severe symptoms such as persistent high fever, confusion, severe headache, or muscle aches notify the office and see a doctor immediately.

Through talking with local health officials and camping associations, we have found that there are three simple steps that you can follow to minimize your chances of getting bitten by mosquitoes.

• Remind your family to keep their skin covered as much as possible. Wear loose-fitting long clothes along with sock, hats, etc. the less exposed skin you have on your body the less likely you are to be bitten. Bringing mosquito netting for your sleeping areas can also help.
• Use insect repellant containing DEET, a chemical found to be the most effective against mosquitoes. We recommend using a product containing 10-50 percent DEET, but no more that 15 percent for use on children. Our children’s program staff will seek to ensure that all children are adequately protected during their program time. Each department will have repellent on hand for children and teens who need it.
• Avoid areas where mosquito population is heaviest, especially at dusk and dawn. Our Children’s Staff have been notified to adjust their programs in this manner as well. Also keep a close eye on areas of standing water near your campsite or accommodation and check door and window screens to be sure that there are no areas where mosquitoes can enter. If you find any of these possible problem areas, be sure to contact the office and our Maintenance Staff will respond to them as soon as possible. We are currently working hard to ensure that all screens on windows and doors are in working order.

Insect repellent containing DEET will be available in our Fair Glen tuck shop as well as in the Connexion Café at Fair Havens.

SARS
While there have been no confirmed cases of SARS in our region, we still want to be sure that every measure possible to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests is taken. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, is a severe form of pneumonia accompanied by a fever. The most common symptoms are a sudden fever of 38°C or higher, respiratory problems such as dry cough, shortness of breathing, or difficulty breathing, muscle aches, severe fatigue, and severe headache. Since there are no specific measures in our region regarding SARS, we will be in continual contact with the local health unit and will monitor the latest developments in the prevention of SARS. If any guidelines are put in place for SARS, we will immediately communicate and implement them. If you think that you may have spent time in a SARS affected area, please contact the office before you come to Fair Havens or Fair Glen and discuss what to do.

Our resident nurse at the Youth Camp will ensure that appropriate screening is completed during the registration process of our residential campers (i.e. checking for fever, verbal questionnaire regarding potential contact with SARS, etc.).

While we do not want concerns of West Nile Virus and SARS to interfere with your stay at Fair Havens, we want to sure that each guest feels safe. Our staff has been made aware of our policies on these two issues and we are all committed to providing the most comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. I trust that if we can all keep these guidelines in mind, we will have an enjoyable and enriching summer.

For more information on the status of West Nile or SARS in our region please refer to the Durham Regional Health Department website: www.region.durham.on.ca.

Sincerely,

John Friesen,
Executive Director
Fair Havens Ministries