Hygienic best practices to help campers and staff avoid illness
Breaking bread is a timeless human ritual. Sharing a meal strengthens community bonds while simultaneously celebrating a community’s culture. However, eating food that germy hands have touched, putting fingers in our mouths, and being physically close to one another can spread bacteria and viruses that cause serious illness. The following are the best ways to ensure family-style meals stay healthy at a camp or parks and rec program. (Most of these suggestions also apply to cafeteria-style and brown-bag meals.)
1. Disinfect Common Surfaces—Whoever sets the table should first wash their own hands, then disinfect the top surface and the top edges of the table. Disinfecting chair backs—the part people grab before they sit down—also helps prevent germs from spreading. (The most common bacteria and viruses that cause illnesses in humans can live between one and five days on hard, dry surfaces.)
2. Wash Hands—Before entering the dining hall, everyone should wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If people wash their hands more than a couple minutes before entering the dining hall, place sanitizer dispensers at the building entrances so everyone can disinfect their previously washed hands. (Sanitizer should be at least 60% alcohol; even then, handwashing is the only way to get rid of certain germs.)
