As camps potentially can be a place where children are exposed to the virus health agencies are giving camps nationwide information and advice on H1N1 virus and how to avoid it spreading among campers.  

The Rockland Department of Health this month gave all camps information about the virus and also recommendations from the state and from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about handling campers who are ill.

Commissioner of Health Dr. Joan Facelle said, "They are really common-sense strategies.”

The letter said, “Children are very susceptible to getting this new virus, and camps may serve as an amplification point for spread of this new virus in a community. At this time, the primary means to reduce spread of influenza in camps is to focus on early identification of ill campers, and staff that should stay home when ill and to encourage good cough and hand hygiene etiquette."

The B.C. Camping Association which represents 68 accredited summer camps in B.C., serving roughly 14,000 campers each year is asking parents to talk to camp directors before they leave the children at the camp if the children have been exposed to any contagious disease just prior to the camp. 
Hartley Banack, president of the association said, "We need collaboration from families to make summer camps a safe place."

Josh Male, whose family owns Gate Hill Camp in Stony Point said, "We want to make sure that parents partner with us. Parents have to make sure that if their kids are waking up with a fever, keep them home."

Camps are also increasing efforts to increase hygiene and while Camp Ramaquois in Pomona has installed new machines that dispense hand sanitizer in all its buildings, J.R. Tesone, director of Breezemont Day Camp in Armonk, said he has held meetings with staff and sent memos to parents about the importance of hand washing.

As the H1N1 virus continues to rise in B.C., and has already claimed 21 Canadians camp directors said that they will be vigilant about signs of the H1N1 virus, although they suspect children will be less likely to get it at camp than at school.

Adam Weinstein, director of the New York regional office of the American Camp Association said, "What it all comes down to is that if a child is sick, don't send him to camp," he said. "That's the best advice we have."

B.C.'s Ministry of Health on Friday said there have been 21 new cases of swine flu in B.C. since June 24, including four on Vancouver Island.

According to the state Department of Health there have been 14 confirmed cases of the illness in Rockland, 83 in Westchester and three in Putnam. Although most cases of the illness in Rockland and Putnam have been mild, at least two people have died from swine flu in Westchester.