COVID-19 UPDATE

Learn more about BBYO’s COVID-19 preparedness, guidelines, and policies
 

As a global youth-serving organization, BBYO’s top priority is the safety, health and well-being of our teens, professionals, volunteers, and community. Due to the frequent changes in COVID-19 variants and protection measures, BBYO’s Medical Advisory Committee determines the safest and most effective interventions based on current research and predictions. Please read below for further details.
 

FALL/WINTER 2023 | SPRING 2023 | FALL/WINTER 2022 | SUMMER 2022 | FALL/WINTER 2021 | SUMMER 2021

FALL/WINTER 2023

BBYO follows the CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 vaccination. As a result, we highly recommend each participant be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 including the most recent booster available. BBYO is following the guidance of many public health institutions, scientists, and medical professionals who have led the battle against the coronavirus and are recommending that people be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19.

BBYO does not require masking at events, however, we invite participants to wear masks should they wish to do so. We encourage everyone to respect the individual choices made by others as it relates to masking.

Testing Updates (Fall/Winter 2023/2024)

Teens may be tested at overnight programs if they demonstrate multiple symptoms of COVID-19, however, they cannot opt-in for a test without symptoms. Refusal of testing will warrant immediate removal from a program.

If a teen or staff member tests positive for COVID-19 before coming to a BBYO overnight program, they must isolate for five (5) days. If a participant still has multiple symptoms after the 5th day, they may not attend the program.

If a participant tests positive for COVID-19 while attending a BBYO overnight program, the following guidelines are in place:

  • Regional Overnight Programs: Teens who test positive at a regional program will immediately be placed in quarantine. For teens who test positive while attending a BBYO regional overnight program that takes place within driving distance of a participant’s home, an appropriate family member (or their designee) must remove them from the program within four (4) hours. If an individual lives further than four hours away, the teen will need to be picked up within 24 hours.
  • BBYO International Convention: IC delegates who test positive for COVID-19 at BBYO International Convention (IC) will be immediately placed in quarantine. Teens will need to depart IC within 24 hours of a positive test result.

SPRING 2023 UPDATE

BBYO follows the CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 vaccination and as a result, highly recommends each participant be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 including the most recent booster available. Boosters are an important part of protecting yourself or those around you from getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19. BBYO is following the guidance of many public health institutions, scientists, and medical professionals who have led the battle against the coronavirus and are recommending that people be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. For additional information, please review our official COVID-19 Policy document.

For overnight events of 50 participants or larger, as well as ALL overnight summer program experiences (regardless of group size), participants must arrive with a photo of a negative COVID-19 test taken the day of travel of their event with their name and the date written next to their test. At-home tests are acceptable.

Should a teen test positive, they will not be permitted to attend. As part of our commitment to one another in creating a safe and respectful community, we expect families to honor these requirements. Teens exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms at any immersive activity may be tested at any point. This policy is subject to change based on CDC guidelines and/or guidance from BBYO’s Medical Advisory Committee.

While BBYO does not require masking at events, we invite participants to wear masks should they wish to do so. We encourage everyone to respect the individual choices made by others as it relates to masking.

FALL/WINTER 2022 UPDATE

Generally, BBYO will not require masking at events. BBYO reserves the right to adjust its masking policy should there be an outbreak in a specific community, or mandates introduced by local, state, or federal authorities. BBYO encourages its participants to respect the individual choices made by its participants as it relates to masking.

Regarding COVID-19 vaccinations, participants, staff, volunteers in any overnight program are required to be vaccinated for COVID-19. The following vaccines are recognized by BBYO: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, AstraZeneca, and Novavax. Everyone is encouraged, but not required, to be boosted for COVID-19. For further information on BBYO’s COVID-19 vaccinations and testing requirements, please review our official COVID-19 Policy document.

Exceptions to these requirements may be made on an individual basis upon review by BBYO’s medical committee and must be submitted at least 14 days before the program. BBYO reserves the right to adjust these policies at any point.

As part of the registration process for any overnight program, families will be asked to confirm that their teens have been vaccinated for both COVID-19 and childhood vaccines. BBYO’s most updated immunization policy can be found here.

SUMMER 2022 UPDATE

For Summer 2022 Domestic Camp-Based Programs:

  • All participants are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by the Pfizer, Moderna, Astra Zeneca, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. All participants must also receive the COVID-19 booster if their second vaccine dose—or first dose of Johnson & Johnson—was received more than 180 days before the start of their BBYO Summer program. The booster must be received no later than 14 days before a participant’s arrival date to their program.
  • Additional testing requirements, guidelines, and information about exemption requests can be found in our BBYO Summer 2022 Camp-Based Programs: COVID-19 Protocols document.

For Summer 2022 Domestic and International Travel-Based Programs:

  • All participants are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by the Pfizer, Moderna, Astra Zeneca, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. All participants must also receive the COVID-19 booster if their second vaccine dose—or first dose of Johnson & Johnson—was received more than 180 days before the start of their BBYO Summer program. The booster must be received no later than 14 days before a participant’s arrival date to their program.
  • For additional information and details on our commitment to health and safety for teens on our travel programs, visit the BBYO Passport Health and Safety page.

Please reach out to BBYO’s Summer Team with any questions via email or phone at 202.537.8091.

FALL/WINTER 2021 UPDATE

We are excited to return to in-person programming this fall with the following guidelines in place:

  • Outdoor programming is encouraged wherever possible
  • Masks are required for indoor programming, except during mealtime
  • Hand washing and sanitizers will be available at all BBYO programs
  • For U.S.-based events, BBYO is requiring all teens, staff, and volunteer advisors attending overnight programs, including chapter, city, council, regional, and international programs, or any non-overnight indoor regional, region-wide, or multi-region events with over 150 people in attendance, to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. This means vaccination date plus two weeks. Currently, Moderna, Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, or Johnson & Johnson are the accepted vaccines. In addition, all participants must receive the COVID-19 booster if their second vaccine dose (or first dose for Johnson & Johnson) was received more than 180 days before the start of an event.
    • Please note, teens may not present a negative PCR test in place of a vaccination to attend an overnight program.
  • Parents who are hosting a BBYO event in their home must be vaccinated and sign off on the host vaccine form

As part of the registration process for any overnight program, families will be asked to confirm that their teens have been vaccinated for both COVID-19 and childhood vaccines. Here is a link to our updated vaccine policy. Parents will also need to sign off that if asked by BBYO, they will present proof of vaccination and that falsifying this statement will result in their teen being removed from BBYO.

If your teen has a special circumstance regarding their vaccination status, please communicate this through our medical exemption form. All requests will be reviewed by BBYO’s medical advisors.  For all other questions, please reach out to your local staff or area director.

SUMMER 2021 UPDATE

We are planning for our 2021 summer season with our ongoing commitment to providing safe and meaningful experiences for teens. We are also committed to providing clear communication on our evolving policies and procedures. With the overwhelming support and interest for enriching and fun programs for teens, we are moving forward with preparations for travel and leadership experiences this summer. We are grateful for the patience of families as we are working with international and state governments as well as health organizations.

  • Visit this page to see the most recent BBYO Leadership Experiences (domestic) updates.
  • Visit this page to see the most recent BBYO Passport Experiences (travel) updates.

NOTE: As of April 15, 2021, only participants who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 are eligible to attend BBYO trips to Israel. For those teens who cannot be fully vaccinated by their departure date, we are happy to help you explore alternative arrangements for this summer or add you to our list for Summer 2022 travel.

Please visit the Centers for Disease Control website for the most up-to-date COVID-19 information and recommendations.