Coronavirus update – October 2021

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Guidelines for matches who wish to see each other in person.

The following guidelines have been established to give matches the ability to make an informed decision whether they should and/or can see each other in person.

  • If anyone (Big, Little, or anyone living with them) has been or exhibits signs or symptoms of Covid19 they are prohibited from seeing each other until the symptoms have gone away and they have quarantined for 10-14 days.
  • Ultimately, the parent/guardian has the final say in whether they are comfortable with the match seeing each other in person.
  • Bigs are not obligated to see their Little in person if they feel that they are not comfortable if or when the parent or child requests an in person visit.
  • Matches are encouraged to:
    • Wear a cloth face covering to protect others from your respiratory droplets in situations where you’re unable to maintain a social distance of 6 feet apart in groups of people 10 or more. We HIGHLY recommend both parties wear a mask during the entirety of your outing.
    • Cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing
    • Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds
    • Do not touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
    • Use hand sanitizer when out in public together
  • Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces (such as bikes, crafting supplies etc) using standard cleaning products, according to the product’s manufacturer label. Surfaces should be allowed to air dry. Be sure to wash hands!
  • Choose activities that are not high risk or pose a risk factor in case of emergencies.
  • Use discretion when deciding on meeting with a Little in person, if the Big or Parent feels that the Little will be at risk or expose you, the Big to risk.
  • Do not share food, supplies for projects etc. Ensure that both Big and Little have their own set of supplies to minimize cross contamination.
  • Bigs are encouraged to have the Little ride in the backseat on outings and both wear a face covering in the car or meet at your destination.

Here are some examples of less socially distance match outings that can be done outside:

  • Sit on the porch to talk, do a craft, or build a puzzle together
  • Visit a Farm
  • Take a walk with your Little
  • Grab food and eat lunch together outside (have a picnic)
  • Go for a hike with your Little (make sure to assess their ability level before choosing a hiking spot)
  • Garden together
  • Go leaf peeping as the weather cools down
  • Play soccer at a soccer field
  • Go fly kites!

Here are some examples of social distance match outings for those matches that want to see each other but maintain social distancing:

  • Sit on the porch to talk, do a craft, or each build a puzzle alongside one another
  • Bike ride in low traffic areas
  • Take a walk in low traffic areas
  • Leave a goodie basket at your Littles doorstep
  • Do a drive and wave from your vehicle
  • Grab food and eat lunch together outside (have a picnic)

We ask that if ANY one in the Littles household (including the Little) or the Volunteer are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID19 that the outing be postponed and the parties remained quarantined for 14 day before rescheduling.

Symptoms of COVID19 are as follows and may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

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