Updated October 28, 2022
The Kentucky YMCA Youth Association is excited to host programs back in-person and will do everything possible to ensure the health and safety of all participants. Please know that participants will be participating in many activities that can involve increased risk for the transmission of COVID-19. While we will adhere to the strictest guidelines from the Kentucky Department of Public Health and CDC guidelines, all participants are attending at their own risk. Participation is purely voluntary, and the Kentucky YMCA Youth Association cannot be held responsible if a participant contracts COVID-19 or is exposed to the virus.

This KY YMCA website/document will be updated as guidelines may change.

The Kentucky YMCA will follow the guidance from the CDC and Kentucky Department of Public Health and will monitor the COVID-19 Community Level Map to make decisions regarding COVID-19 policies.

If the majority of the state AND the county the conference is located in is in green then masks are optional.

If the majority of the state AND the county the conference is located in is in yellow then the KY YMCA will work with public officials to determine if we will require masks. Recommendations are that masks are required for large gatherings when in yellow.

If the majority of the state OR the county the conference is located in is in red then we will require masks.

Being a conference that hosts students from across the state we have to consider the full map AND the county the conference takes place in.

Conferences will be notified 48 hours in advance of the masking policy, based on the community map, in the email that contains the code of conduct and health screening.

Summary: Masking will be required if the majority of the state or county the conference is located in shows community levels are high. Students and adults will be asked to complete a pre-conference health screening. Participants must be 72 hours free of vomiting and diarrhea and 24 hours fever free without fever reducing medicine to attend the conference.

Pre-Conference Protocols

The required pre-conference COVID-19 health questionnaire will require affirmation that you are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms and agreement that should symptoms arise in between submission and the conference that you will not attend the conference. The form will require a signing of a COVID-19 waiver to acknowledge that the Kentucky YMCA Youth Association shall not be held liable for any instances of COVID-19 or other illnesses spread at the conference. As well as recognizing that all KY YMCA programs are voluntary programs. Students should complete this form prior to the conference. It is part of the virtual code of conduct that students and adults will receive.

Any student or adult experiencing any of the known COVID-19 symptoms, (including, but not limited to, fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, congestion, or runny nose) and has not tested negative after five days, must not attend the conference. If you have tested positive you must isolate for five days and cannot attend the conference. Participants must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication to attend the conference, even after their five day isolation period ends.

Please refer to the refund policy to understand all policies around illness and refunds before registering for the conference.

At-Conference Protocols

1. If community levels are medium or high, masks will be required indoors and on the bus unless eating, sleeping, showering, or brushing teeth. Masks must be worn over the nose and mouth at all times. Surgical masks, N95, KN95, or 94 masks are strongly recommended.
   Any students with a medical reason for not wearing a mask should provide documentation from a doctor to Y-Staff. Anyone with a valid exemption will be required to take a rapid test each day they are onsite at the conference. We also ask that anyone with a valid mask exemption maintain a 3ft distance from others while at the conference.
2. If community levels are medium or high, masks will be kept on while giving speeches into a microphone.
3. Youth and adults will be encouraged -- and provided with opportunities -- to wash their hands frequently and use the hand sanitizing stations around the hotel when hand washing is not possible.

If the majority of the state moves into a low COVID-19 community level, the KY YMCA may remove the need for masks. This site will be updated weekly as we monitor community levels.

Sick Policy Before and At Conference

All students and adults must be 72 hours free of vomiting and diarrhea before attending the conference and 24 hours fever free without fever reducing medication.

If a student or adult becomes sick while at the conference, we will work to quarantine them into their own room and will move any roommates to a new room. The potentially ill participant will be required to create a plan to be picked up from the conference within a six-hour period. All illnesses fall under this policy and there are no exceptions as we cannot take additional risks around health and safety measures. Refunds will not be given as all incurred fees will have already been paid for.

Staff and volunteers of the KY YMCA will follow all of the policies listed above.

The KY YMCA understands that the conference policies may be stricter than some school policies, but we believe it is necessary to create the safest conference environment possible.

The KY YMCA will not grant any exceptions to the policies stated above.