Guides prepares for virus: camps, meetings off

The Scouts are famous for being prepared. Well, Girl Guides Queensland is prepared for coronavirus and has banned all person-to-person events.

Girl Guides Queensland has stopped all meetings, camps and other person to person activities. Guides such Abigail, Adele and Bethany, from Ormeau, will be devastated. Picture: AAP/Regi Varghese

The Girl Guides Queensland Board has canned camps, public fundraisers and meetings for the foreseeable future, but Scouts Queensland is staying the course while schools remain open.

“We made the heartfelt and unprecedented decision to suspend all person to person Girl Guide activities until further notice, commencing March 16,’’ GGQB acting chair Lisa Devereaux said in an email to parents late on Sunday.

“Guiding activities will continue to operate using our Flexible Guiding Program and will draw upon the expertise of our experienced leaders.

“But there will be no meetings, sleepovers, indoor or outdoor camps, travel, expeditions, trainings, Trefoil Guild activities, or any other person to person Girl Guide activities during this period.’’

Meetings at its state office are now by appointment only and the Stafford Guide Supplies shop sales will be limited to online only.

State office staff will work “in situ’’ on a rotational basis with some staff continuing to work remotely.

“This course of action is to ensure the health and wellbeing of girls, adult members, volunteers, staff and the greater community as we all come to terms with an increasing rate of contagion across Queensland communities,’’ Ms Devereaux said.

“We know Guiding is a much-loved activity and we look forward to a return to normal operations.’’

Scouts Queensland Chief Commissioner, Daryl Scott, also reached out to parents on Sunday via email to tell them mass meetings of 500 or more would be banned and overseas travel by its staff banned.

It would consider splitting some large events such as Moot and Triple S and holding them at multiple locations.

Meetings would continue as long as state schools remained open. A decision on schools is expected on Friday.

Anybody with symptoms of the COVID-19 was banned from attending meetings and training courses, committee and other meetings would be conducted remotely online if possible.

Mr Scott also outlined tightened hygiene measures for Scouts.

“Wherever possible, limit closely confined sleeping on camps through separation by the use of individual tents or through sleeping under flies,’’ he said.

“Focus on den cleanliness with disinfecting of surfaces and focus on personal hygiene with particular attention given to hand washing.’’