Community Gatherings
As the country, and the world, starts to find its way forward and return to in-person gatherings, we must continue to look out for the safety and wellness of RVers, and the larger community. Should you choose to host or participate in an event, Escapees members should understand the following information and policies, abiding by local and state guidelines at a minimum, when hosting or participating in community gatherings or events.
While these policies and procedures are strongly recommended, they are not required for community events/rallies hosted by a Chapter, BOF, or club member.
Where our suggested policies fall below the local and state guidelines, those local and state policies should be used in place of our own.
We prepared the following materials to aid you in hosting events, again should you choose to host them. In these materials, you will find a sample notice to all attendees, a set of suggested policies and procedures for hosting an event, and a sample waiver of liability for the attendees to sign. We highly recommend that you use them all in the preparation and hosting of your event.
Download & Use the Following Documents
If you are a Chapter, BOF, or community member preparing a large gathering associated with Escapees RV Club and Xscapers, we recommend you distribute this document/s in their entirety to all attendees/participants.
Escapees RV Club Reccommendations
Gatherings and events are considered high-risk activities. As such, Escapees recommends all attendees 5 years and older get their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines and receive a booster dose, if eligible, before attending any club event. COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting organizers, staff, and attendees from getting seriously ill, getting hospitalized, and even dying. As with vaccines for other diseases, people who are up to date are optimally protected.
In addition, we recommend that all attendees follow CDC guidance on “How to Protect Yourself & Others” and prevention steps based upon “COVID-19 Community Levels.”
Event Organizers Should Encourage Attendees To:
- Be fully vaccinated and up to date with boosters.
- Test for COVID-19 prior and during the event to reduce the unintentional spread of COVID-19.
- Wear masks as recommended by CDC’s “COVID-19 Community Levels.”
- Sanitize or wash their hands on a regular basis.
- Resist hugging (even though we terribly miss those hugs!) and bump elbows or fists versus shaking hands.
- Follow CDC guidance on "How to Protect Yourself & Others."
Event Organizers Should:
- As often as possible, hold activities outside or in places with good airflow.
- Separate seating so that non-family members can distance themselves when feasible.
- Provide backup masks for those who forget theirs.
- Provide sanitizer or sanitation stations for good hygiene.
Vaccination or Negative COVID-19 Test
All Escapees RV Club hosted events, such as HOPs, Hangouts, Convergences, RVers Boot Camp now requires proof of either full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to attend. However, this is not a requirement for a Community Gathering, but it is strongly recommended. For more guidance regarding this policy, please visit https://escapees.com/coronavirus.
Escapees recommends attendees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before attending any club event. (“Fully vaccinated” means that at least two weeks have passed since receiving either the second dose in a 2-dose vaccine series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or a single-dose vaccine, such as the Johnson & Johnson). Attendees who are not fully vaccinated must obtain a COVID-19 test not more than 72 hours (3 days) before entering the event.
General Guidance
Gatherings are higher-risk activities. According to the CDC the virus spreads easily between people, especially when they gather. Escapees recommends attendees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least two weeks before attending any large event.
- Continue to follow “General Guidelines for Everyone ” listed below.
- Follow local and state policies for maximum gathering sizes at one time, including hosts, volunteers, and service providers.
- Follow the food service guidelines for any provision of food or beverage. No self-service.
- Maintain physical distancing of at least 6 feet between attendees from different households. Agendas and event spaces should be arranged to discourage congregating between individuals of different households.
- We strongly recommend (but do not require) that attendees wear a mask or face covering when indoors. Per CDC guidance, unvaccinated attendees should wear a mask or face covering.
- Wash hands often and carry hand sanitizer ( at least 60% alcohol), especially after touching frequently used items or surfaces.
- Open doors/windows when practical and allowed by regulatory body, utilize outdoor spaces as practical.
- Maintain 6 feet distance when greeting others. Avoid hugs and handshakes.
- Too many people in a small space.
- Close proximity to others not in their household.
- 6 feet physical distancing not being observed.
- Fewer attendees.
- Households staying together and maintaining 6 feet distancing from others.
- Guests wearing masks when 6 feets distancing is not consistent.
Remember, the virus spreads easily from person-to-person through droplets when someone breathes, talks, sings, coughs, sneezes, etc. People who do not feel sick or have symptoms can spread COVID-19 to others. Physical distancing and wearing cloth face coverings are two actions that reduce the risk of the virus being spread through the air by people who do not know they are infected.
When physical distancing, remember that 6 feet of distance is the recommended minimum. It is better to maximize the distance between you and others not from your household. The longer you will be in close proximity with another person not from your household, especially indoors, the more you should consider distancing further than 6 feet from them.
Indoor and Outdoor Spaces
It is believed that indoor spaces are higher risk than outdoor spaces due to airflow. Increasing ventilation may help to decrease indoor risk, but it is thought that incomplete ventilation (re-circulating air without filtration or releasing exhaust into other areas of the building) may possibly be linked to spreading the virus. The recommendation is to open doors/windows when practical and allowed by the organization’s regulatory body, to utilize outdoor spaces as practical and to follow CDC guidance as it continues to emerge.
It is important to follow CDC guidance on wearing a mask or face covering. When others wear face coverings, they are protecting you. And when you wear a face covering, you are protecting them. Face coverings also help to remind you not to touch your face with unwashed hands. When not wearing a cloth face covering (at home or when eating, for example), it is important to cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and not your hand. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash and hands washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
While this document provides guidance for our community, individuals must consider their personal risk and determine whether to increase their interactions in the community as reopening progresses. Throughout all phases of reopening, higher-risk individuals are strongly encouraged to follow the guidance specifically for them. This means to stay at home as much as possible. In later phases, this means resuming public interactions with physical distancing. Higher-risk individuals include those over the age of 65, and those with serious underlying health conditions, such as high blood pressure, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma and those whose immune system is compromised.
Remember the CDC and local and state guidelines should be followed at a minimum.
General Guidelines for Everyone
Use Physical Distancing Whenever Possible
- In public, stay at least 6 feet away from others not from your household whenever possible.
Continue to Practice Good Hygiene
- It is strongly recommended (and at times required per local mandates)that you wear a face covering (mask) when unable to consistently maintain 6 feet of physical distancing while in public.
- Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol), especially after touching frequently used items or surfaces.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Sneeze or cough into a tissue or the inside of your elbow. Dispose of tissues after a single use and wash your hands.
- Regularly disinfect frequently used items and surfaces using soap and water or EPA-registered household disinfectants (including bleach and cleaners containing at least 70% alcohol).
People Who Feel Sick or Have Been Told to Isolate/Quarantine Should Stay Home
- Stay home if you feel sick or have been told to isolate/quarantine due to potential exposure, illness or while awaiting test results. Do not go to work, school, stores, etc.
- If you are concerned about your health, contact and follow the advice of your medical provider.
Show Courtesy to Others, Especially Workers
- When patronizing a business, stay at least 6 feet away from employees whenever possible.
- Follow directions on safety signage displayed in businesses.
- Be a part of keeping things clean: Use hand sanitizer stations, cloth face coverings, and other means to protect yourself and others.
Remember the CDC and local and state guidelines should be followed at a minimum.
While these policies and procedures are strongly recommended, they are not required for community events/rallies hosted by a Chapter, BOF, or club member.
Download & Use
If you are a Chapter, BOF, or community member preparing a large gathering associated with Escapees RV Club and Xscapers, we recommend you distribute this document in its entirety to all attendees/participants.
