Summer camps look for ways to run amid coronavirus pandemic
Yahoo Finance Video
Timber Lake Camp owner Jay Jacobs joins Yahoo Finance’s Brian Sozzi and Alexis Christoforous to discuss what this summer is expected to look like amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Video Transcript
BRIAN SOZZI: Welcome back to Yahoo Finance Live. Now many kids spend 10 months out of the year waiting for their special two months at summer camp. Each year, over 14 million children and adults attend camp in the US, both campers and counselors. But this summer may look a little different as summer camps are at odds with the coronavirus pandemic.
Joining us now is Timber Lake Sleepaway Camp owner Jay Jacobs. Jay, thanks for taking some time this morning. So answer the question on the minds of lots of parents. Will there be summer camp this summer?
JAY JACOBS: I believe there will. And I think we have to wait to see how the numbers keep coming down in terms of new cases. Other metrics that they're looking at-- hospitalizations, the rest. As this virus seems to recede, we all know better and the chances get better as-- with the numbers getting lower.
ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS: So Jay, I have to imagine you were taking some steps here to social distance if camp were to go forward. I'd imagine it's going to look a lot different than it looked last summer. Talk to us about some of the things that you're implementing, working on the assumption that there will be summer camp.
JAY JACOBS: Well, I think social distancing, as, you know, we're practicing it in society today, is not reasonable in the summer camp environment. I mean, I don't think that can be the expectation at the same level, frankly. It's a different type of environment. You've got children at play. You can't socially distance yourself from someone you're playing basketball with. You know, it becomes a little difficult.
So we have to have a different strategy. And I know at camp, we're looking at the strategy of testing campers or having campers tested before they come to camp and only accepting campers who test negative, and doing the same thing for staff, so creating, if you will, a protected environment, where we can have activities in camp knowing that everybody in camp has been tested and is negative.
Of course, you're going to have some people coming in and going out occasionally. We've got to deal with that and figure out ways to ensure that the virus doesn't come into camp.
But I'm also hopeful that with the numbers coming way, way down in terms of new cases and total number of active cases in the community areas that the camps are in or that campers come from or others come from, that, you know, we'll be protecting campers pretty well with that in place, in addition to doing some other policy changes, like no day trips out of camp, no extended trips for the older campers that we've done in the past, perhaps limiting off time off campus for our staff.
You know, those are all things that are going to be looked at. And depending upon the realities at the time, we're going to have to take the actions necessary to create that protective environment.
ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS: Jay, in terms of testing, when you really talk about the logistics, would parents have to get their kids tested independently? Would you be able to provide those tests, and then, to go along with that, how might your medical staff on-site look different this summer?
JAY JACOBS: Well, in terms of the testing, you know, again, there'll be a lot more information and newer tests available. Every week, we see something new. Right now, we're looking at a saliva test, which has a 24-hour turnaround, and can be administered at home and then sent and mailed in a packet to the lab. It's prescribed by our doctor.
The information comes directly to our doctor so we know who's taken the test and what the results are. We know it directly. And we would envision sending that-- this is how our camp would do it. Other camps may have other plans, but, you know, we're all talking and trying to coordinate.
We would pay for that test. It's expensive. We would send it to parents, and they would then have their children tested. And you'd have to be tested in order to come to camp. So, you know, that's one methodology.
Then we're also looking at the Abbott Labs model, which requires an expensive piece of equipment, which we will buy if it's available to us, and we believe it will be, along with a more rapid testing. Those are five minutes for a positive and 13 minutes for an absolute negative. And we'll have to have those on hand as well, both for in-camp use and for people who come to the gate and want to come into camp and be tested.
So we're looking at that. We're looking at working with a couple of companies that can bring testing to various sites to help test our staff as they enter camp. Because we want to test every member of the staff. So those are some of the models we're looking at.
And we see our in-camp health personnel being trained and up to date on the latest equipment. We've already ordered, you know, the necessary Personal Protective Equipment that has been recommended. And we have it in good supply, so that's already headed toward camp. And so we'll be ready for this.
BRIAN SOZZI: Jay, what's the hit financially here, given all these investments into the camping experience, but also, too, if the season is shortened?
JAY JACOBS: Well, let me hit the financial pieces. I think every camp director-- I've spoken to a lot of them. They're not worried about the money of what it's going to cost us extra to run camp. It's important to run camp for us because we believe in it.
And frankly, you know, if we don't run camp, we're going to have to take advantage of these federal disaster relief loans that we've already applied for just in case, to be able to refund the money we need to camp parents. And we'll move forward, and frankly, I think we'll survive it, all of us.
But it won't be pleasant. It won't be pretty. But look, there are people dying. I mean, there's a lot worse out there in society than, you know, me not being able to run my summer camp. So I would just say to you, unfortunately, we would take a full year's hit in this period of time. Where other businesses are losing months, we lose a year, and that would be unfortunate, but we'll have to survive that.
But when it comes to operating, you know, I decided a long time ago, and just about every one of the colleagues I speak to, I think, is in agreement. We're going to do what's necessary, spend what we have to get this right.
I have campers coming from Florida. I have parents who are really very concerned about putting their children on a commercial flight up to New York at the end of June. So I talked to a charter company. And we can access the 737, the same planes that the major airlines use, a high quality aircraft.
And we can make that available just to campers who are all tested before they get to the airport, make sure that every camper that gets on. We'll ask the staff on the plane to also be tested. And then we know for sure that we're able to take children up from Florida safely. That's going to cost us some money, but I don't think that's the important part right now.
BRIAN SOZZI: All right, well, Jay Jacobs, Timber Lake owner, rooting for you this summer camping season. Good luck in the weeks ahead.
JAY JACOBS: Thank you very much. Thanks for having me.