Overnight school trips in Covid era

[Snow mom]

I consider myself quite COVID cautious and I’d say for me the benefits of this would outweigh the risks. It sounds like a memorable experience for her to participate.

ETA: I’d feel more comfortable with the situation if there was testing or vaccines required. But honestly I’d let DD participate in your shoes.

[AnnieW625]

I believe DD1 is doing an overnight high school retreat in January. I going to let her go as she is vaccinated and doesn’t have any underlying conditions.


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[zukeypur]

Let me preface this by reminding you all that I'm in Texas...

DD went on an overnight band trip last weekend. They rode on buses for a 5 hour trip, stayed in a hotel with 4 to a room, and then rode home on tightly packed buses. There was at least 1 non-vaxed kid who got COVID (unknown if she got it on the trip...she is blaming it on being in a town on the border, sigh) and was on DD's bus, but so far most of the kids are fine. DD is vaxed and wore her mask the whole time she was on the bus but not in the hotel.

By March, I'm hoping that we don't have another extremely contagious variant and more kids will be vaccinated. I would let them go on the trip. Of course, things could change between now and then, but with current conditions I would say yes.

[ged]

I think I'd begrudgingly let my vaccinated teen go. Esp if this is a once a high school career type of thing. They've already missed out on so many school activities. But I also have a 11 y.o., and I don't know what plans are for 6th grade camp (usually in Feb). I am leaning towards no - but if vaccines really roll out well, maybe...

ETA - I'm in CA and have been super cautious.

[ahisma]

We've been very covid conscious, but are relaxing lately with our vaccinated teens. Personally, I weigh the risk of the inconvenience of COVID (which is almost certainly what a case would amount to for a vaccinated teen) vs. skipping the activity. That said - our district has a 99% vaccination rate. I'm hesitant to trust that fully, but knock on wood - so far, so good.

[ang79]

Thanks for weighing in everyone! I think it is just giving me pause because it seems so big after the very limited amount of activities we have done the past 18 months. I don’t have a need to eat out in restaurants so we don’t. Travel is in house rentals but that’s our normal preference even before Covid. Family get togethers have been limited to mainly seeing vaccinated family or outside visits.

I know it is a ways off, hopefully things will be much better by the end of March. But that’s what we all thought would happen by this fall as well, and then Delta shredded those ideas.

Vaccination rates are not great in my county, only 47% fully vaccinated and it has only risen from 43% in June. People are outraged there is now a mask mandate from the governor and are suing. I am guessing not many teens are vaccinated. DD1 says about 1/2 of her friends on the tennis team are and she only knows for certain of 2 others in orchestra with her, one which she wants to room with on this trip. It’s hit or miss with other friends she sits by in classes. If I knew more kids/chaperones were vaccinated it would help my worries! Also, the music department tries to take trips at least every other year. There will probably be at least one trip to Disney World by the time she is a senior. They just did Disney at the beginning of March 2020 just as Covid was becoming a bigger concern here. Her younger sister is also in band and orchestra, so I envision several of these trips in our future.

As of now they are saying commitment forms need to be in by next week, they will make a final decision on the trip in December but after that they are locked in with the travel company and don’t know if refunds will be available. It would stink to lose the $400 if they don’t go, but it won’t break us. I just wish I could feel a little bit better about saying yes than I do.

I hate making these decisions as I know I am in the minority, everyone else around here has gone back to life as normal. Our hospital Covid cases continue to get closer to what they were during last year’s winter peak yet I was in Target yesterday and it was only employees and a handful of customers wearing masks. Another local store I was in this morning and I was the only one wearing a mask. At the high school life looks like normal with crowded activities. The only exception is the indoor mask mandate by the governor but DD says most kids and some teachers wear them as chin warmers.


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[jgenie]

Thanks for weighing in everyone! I think it is just giving me pause because it seems so big after the very limited amount of activities we have done the past 18 months. I don’t have a need to eat out in restaurants so we don’t. Travel is in house rentals but that’s our normal preference even before Covid. Family get togethers have been limited to mainly seeing vaccinated family or outside visits.

I know it is a ways off, hopefully things will be much better by the end of March. But that’s what we all thought would happen by this fall as well, and then Delta shredded those ideas.

Vaccination rates are not great in my county, only 47% fully vaccinated and it has only risen from 43% in June. People are outraged there is now a mask mandate from the governor and are suing. I am guessing not many teens are vaccinated. DD1 says about 1/2 of her friends on the tennis team are and she only knows for certain of 2 others in orchestra with her, one which she wants to room with on this trip. It’s hit or miss with other friends she sits by in classes. If I knew more kids/chaperones were vaccinated it would help my worries! Also, the music department tries to take trips at least every other year. There will probably be at least one trip to Disney World by the time she is a senior. They just did Disney at the beginning of March 2020 just as Covid was becoming a bigger concern here. Her younger sister is also in band and orchestra, so I envision several of these trips in our future.

As of now they are saying commitment forms need to be in by next week, they will make a final decision on the trip in December but after that they are locked in with the travel company and don’t know if refunds will be available. It would stink to lose the $400 if they don’t go, but it won’t break us. I just wish I could feel a little bit better about saying yes than I do.

I hate making these decisions as I know I am in the minority, everyone else around here has gone back to life as normal. Our hospital Covid cases continue to get closer to what they were during last year’s winter peak yet I was in Target yesterday and it was only employees and a handful of customers wearing masks. Another local store I was in this morning and I was the only one wearing a mask. At the high school life looks like normal with crowded activities. The only exception is the indoor mask mandate by the governor but DD says most kids and some teachers wear them as chin warmers.


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Given your update I would be ok signing her up with the understanding that it will be a game time call. If we're lucky, we'll be in a better position in March.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Read your update. Sign her up.


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