This is our process relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have any questions that aren’t addressed here, please e-mail me.
First, the practical information:
Current Trip Logistics Update
We are hoping for the best for the 2022 season. As all of The Quiet Guiding Co.’s trips currently take place in Ontario Parks, I will follow their guidance closely as well as public health guidelines.
Health and Wellness
Pre-Trip
If you do develop symptoms within two weeks of the start of your trip, I request that you stay home. When purchasing trip cancellation insurance, ask your provider about purchasing coverage that allows you to cancel for any reason.
I will follow up with you within two weeks of your trip to check in on your health and your contact with others.
If I develop symptoms within two weeks of the start of your trip I will stay home. I will endeavor to provide you a top-notch guide so that your trip may carry on.
I clean and disinfect all group gear after a trip ends. I do the same prior to packing a trip.
On Trip
As long as our trips can continue to proceed, I’ll continue with my standard health and wellness practices and add in a few extra measures.
Standard procedures include:
- A hand washing station with lots of soap and hand sanitizer
- A dish washing station with dish gloves where one sink is HOT soapy water (sometimes too hot) and one sink is disinfectant rinse
- Ensuring everyone is well-hydrated (via a water filtration system), well-fed, and with any luck well-slept
Extra procedures include (but are not limited to):
- Practicing physical distancing of at least 2 meters between us (if not a custom group who have been isolating together)
- All are strongly encouraged to wear masks for their safety if the 2 meter distance can’t be maintained. You are required to bring your own.
- Using a decanter water bottle for the water filtration system, rather than connecting the filter to everyone’s individual water bottle
- Personal toilet kits (please bring your own travel-sized hand sanitizer for your toilet kit)
- Extra disinfection of group gear between uses during each trip
- Evacuating anyone who develops symptoms on trip
- The number of tents are limited on Ontario Parks’ campsites. I will manage group size and tentmates accordingly (i.e. you will not bunk with a stranger nor someone you’re not bubbled up with).
- No hugs or handshakes before or after the trip. (You know this one’s hard for me!)
Post-Trip
I clean and disinfect all gear after a trip. I ask that you stay in touch if you do develop flu-like symptoms in the two weeks after our trip. (I’d be happy if you stayed in touch even if you didn’t develop an illness.)
Second, taking care of head and heart:
Depending on how you approach times like these, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. I know I have been. Reach out if you need some human interaction. Take a walk, if possible. Stretch, move, breathe deeply. Drink water and eat nutritious food.
Take good care of yourself.
