COVID-19 GUEST OPERATIONS PLAN

Communicating Increased Risks, Procedures, and Responsibilities of Guests

Guests will receive an email 10 days prior to their trip containing a link to this page to view all the updated COVID protocols.

Guests will be asked to continue to comply with CDC guidelines to the extent they are able., we ask that they continue to wash hands, avoid touching their face, and comply with other guidelines, linked here. Guests will also be given the opportunity to disinfect their equipment and personal space as needed.   Guests who violate protocols or hygiene practices are subject to removal from the trip.

Staff Training & Gear Management

Staff will be trained on symptoms, transmission, procedures, prevention, Personal Protective Equipment, etc.

Sleep gear and life jackets:

Sleeping bags, sleeping liners, and life jackets are professionally laundered to hospitality standards between every trip. Lower half trip participants receive a fresh set of sleep equipment.

Tent bags, blue personal bags, white personal bags, and white sleeping pads are cleaned with disinfectant on the outside and inside between trips.

Kitchen gear: 

Commissary boxes (containing kitchen equipment such as pots and bowls) and utensil boxes are emptied. The contents of the boxes are run through a professional dish sanitizer (a Hobart). The boxes themselves, as well as other kitchen equipment such as fire pans, tables, coolers, and food boxes, are power-washed with 140+ degree water and disinfecting chemicals.

Toilets  

Toilets are picked up, emptied, and cleaned by a professional service provider. Toilet hardware, such as seats, seat boxes, and handwash systems, is power washed with 140+ degree water and disinfected.

Participants at Higher Risk

The CDC has determined that “older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.” Those 65 and over, with chronic lung disease or asthma, with serious heart conditions, who are immunocompromised, who are obese, have diabetes, and have chronic kidney or liver disease are at high risk, “particularly if not well controlled.” We are asking individuals at higher risk to consult with their health care providers.

Denial of Service

10 days prior to each trip, all guest participants will be sent an email telling them that if they feel unwell in any way, they need to contact us immediately, and we will work with them on their options. This email also says, “We highly recommend that you consider limiting your exposure to others as much as possible between now and your trip to limit the chances of you becoming ill. The email also instructs anyone who starts feeling unwell after their orientation to contact the Manager on Duty directly to discuss their options.

We will be following the CDC’s guidance on travel with a positive test, and exposure to someone who tested positive. Currently, the CDC’s guidance on traveling is as follows:

DO NOT TRAVEL IF…

• You are sick, even if you recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days or are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.
  You tested positive for COVID-19.
• Do not travel until a full 10 days after your symptoms started or the date your positive test was taken if you had no symptoms.
  You are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test.
• You had close contact with a person with COVID-19 and are recommended to quarantine.
• Do not travel until a full 5 days after your last close contact with the person with COVID-19. It is best to avoid travel for a full 10 days after your last exposure.
• If you must travel during days 6 through 10 after your last exposure:
  Get tested at least 5 days after your last close contact. Make sure your test result is negative and you remain without symptoms before traveling. If you don’t get tested, avoid travel until a full 10 days after your last close contact with a person with COVID-19.
  Properly wear a well-fitting mask when you are around others for the entire duration of travel during days 6 through 10. If you are unable to wear a mask, you should not travel during days 6 through 10.

If you had close contact with a person with COVID-19 but are NOT recommended to quarantine…

Get tested at least 5 days after your last close contact. Make sure your test result is negative and you remain without symptoms before traveling.

If you had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days, you do NOT need to get tested, but you should still follow all other recommendations (including if you develop COVID-19 symptoms).

If you travel during the 10 days after your last exposure, properly wear a well-fitting mask when you are around others for the entire duration of travel during the 10 days. If you are unable to wear a mask, you should not travel during the 10 days.

We cannot recommend enough that you purchase trip cancellation insurance to protect your trip investment. We have had a considerable rise on COVID cancellations (per our Denial of Service terms) prior to our trips just in the last couple weeks of May 2022. Trip insurance does cover you if you are sick with COVID or have to cancel because your traveling companion has COVID. This applies to any illness. Purchasing trip cancellation insurance for this reason alone, among many others, is highly recommended. You must purchase it at least 21 days before your scheduled trip date. Contact Travelex to purchase directly with them, or any other provider you prefer. 

Employee requirements:

Employees testing positive for COVID-19 prior to a trip, experiencing COVID-19 symptoms of illness will be advised to follow the CDC’s recommended steps and remain at home until they have met the conditions to discontinue home isolation as defined by the CDC:

• “Some severely immunocompromised persons with COVID-19 may remain infectious beyond 20 days after their symptoms began and require additional SARS-CoV-2 testing and consultation with infectious diseases specialists and infection control experts.”

Transportation

All personal belongings are removed from vehicles, and the vehicles are swept and cleaned.  

During Shuttles

All trip participants are required to wear masks only required during high COVID-19 community levels per the CDC) during AzRA provided transportation. If Coconino County is in low or moderate community levels per the CDC, masks will not be mandatory on AzRA vehicles except on the Navajo and Hualapai Nations.

Code of Conduct

Arizona Raft Adventures, Grand Canyon Discovery, and Grand Canyon Raft Adventures communicate our Code of Conduct to guests upon making a reservation. In addition, it is in their online trip portfolio, on our website, and it will be referenced periodically before launch. With respect to COVID-19, it is important to recognize that different trip participants, both guest and crew, have different sensitivities regarding precautions. We ask that every trip participant communicate and respect these differing sensitivities.

On-River Screening

For the duration of trip, Arizona Raft Adventures, Grand Canyon Discovery, and Grand Canyon Raft Adventures will require all trip participants to self-screen daily. They will be reminded to check for the symptoms, above. If they experience the above symptoms, their temperature and oxygen saturation (as measured by a pulse oximeter, or “pulsox”) will be taken and isolation measures implemented as described below. 

Monitoring, Documentation, and Reporting

A staff member will be designated to monitor participant(s) and document signs and symptoms at least daily when a trip participant reports that they feel ill. They will check Emergency Warning Signs (see below) daily and advise person(s) to report immediately if experiencing any of those signs/symptoms, or report any worsening of other symptoms immediately.  

 We will report three or more cases (clusters) On-River Illness to the National Park Service Office of Public Health and Grand Canyon National Park Service dispatch as quickly as possible.  

 We have worked with our Safety Committee (elected guide members and various management) to develop suggested procedures using CDC guidelines, and we will re-evaluate them throughout the season. 

Personal Precuations

All trip participants will be instructed take COVID prevention precautions to the extent possible as identified by the CDC.

Hand Washing

Arizona Raft Adventures, Grand Canyon Discovery, and Grand Canyon Raft Adventures have always emphasized the importance of hand washing; we will continue to do so, with increased frequency and including additional instructions. We will also ensure we set up at least one hand wash system immediately upon arrival to camp or attraction sites and leave it set up until immediately prior to departure.

At lunch and attraction sites, we will have at least one hand wash system set up, and employees will carry hand sanitizer.

At camp, we will have two to four hand wash systems set up, depending on the trip size and the specific layout of any given camp. We will at least have a handwash set up at each toilet and in the kitchen. If the boats are distant from the toilet and kitchen set ups, there may be an additional hand wash system located proximal to the boats.

We will instruct all trip participants to wash their hands with soap and water often, for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing.

Masks (NOTE: this section ONLY applies during times that Coconino County is determined to be in a high level of transmission according to the CDC)

All trip participants will be required to bring a mask on their Grand Canyon raft trip. We will check to ensure that all guests have them at the pre-trip orientation; guests who do not have them will have the opportunity to purchase them. AzRA will provide masks for employees who need them.

We encourage all trip participants to cover their mouths and noses to the extent possible. There may be times when this is not advisable due to heat, exertion, or other extenuating circumstances.

When not wearing a mask, participants are advised to cover coughs or sneezes by using the inside of the elbow and immediately wash their hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds or use hand sanitizer. Employees will have soap and/or hand sanitizer available.

To check on community transmission levels, you can view the CDC’s site here.

On-River High Frequency Touch Points

Arizona Raft Adventures, Grand Canyon Discovery, and Grand Canyon Raft Adventures have identified an increased need for hand washing and disinfecting around high frequency touch points on-river. All trip participants will be required to wash their hands prior to and after contact with these high frequency touch points.

There may be other high frequency touch points, such as camp games or musical instruments, that will be addressed on a trip-by-trip basis and led by the Trip Leader.

We will follow manufacturer recommendations regarding disinfecting their equipment when available.

Guests will be asked to assist with cleaning and disinfecting, particularly their personal camp gear.

Food Protocols

Hand Hygiene and Kitchen Equipment

All trip participants will be asked to wash their hands before and after entering the kitchen or handling any kitchen equipment, including water jugs.

Food Pack

We will continue to follow all Food Manager and Coconino County Health regulations in the food room prior to and while packing the food. In addition, high frequency touch points will be cleaned and disinfected weekly. The touch points include door and cooler handles, dishwasher controls, scissors, writing utensils, box cutters, and more. Food Room Staff and warehouse employees will wear masks while at work ONLY during high community transmission levels. Head cooks and motor guides will be required to don masks during the perishable food pack only during high community transmission levels. Guides are required to wear food service gloves when packing ready to eat foods such as the produce cooler.

Food Preparation 

Guests will not be permitted to assist in the kitchen according to our operating requirements from Grand Canyon National Park. Those with allergies will still be encouraged to check ingredients for their allergen during meal preparation.  In addition, crew members will be required to wear food service gloves when handling ready to eat foods. All crew members will continue to follow the guidelines provided by their Food Manager or Food Handler training.

Administering First Aid

AzRA crew members will be instructed to supervise self-administered (or traveling companion) first aid whenever possible.

When not possible, employees will use proper personal protective equipment (PPE) as appropriate and feasible.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

AzRA crew members who determine CPR is necessary and suspects possible COVID-19 will be instructed to begin chest compressions after placing a surgical mask on the recipient and themselves while another crew member retrieves a bag valve mask (BVM) for rescue breathing. Rescue breathing will be given via BVM as soon as possible.

Isolation

We will undertake to isolate COVID-19 trip participants to the best of our ability:

1. When on a Classic Adventure or All-Paddle Adventure, we will isolate ill participant(s) to a separate raft, keep them separated from the group in camp and at attraction sites, and serve them directly when in camp and off the rafts (to avoid passing through kitchen and touching food and kitchen items).
2. When on a Motor Adventure, we will isolate ill participant(s) as well as possible on the raft. We’ll also keep them separated from the group in camp and at attraction sites and serve them directly when in camp and off the rafts.
3. Initiate further sanitation of raft in camp each day.

Per the CDC guidelines isolation should occur.

• At least 5 days since symptoms first appeared and
• At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication and
• Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.

Further Mitigation Measures

We will require trip participants with COVID-19 symptoms to wear a mask when within 6 feet of anyone for the duration of the trip, when it is safe and reasonably feasible to do so (known exceptions may include while in whitewater, and when temperatures are high, and the mask represents a heat-illness hazard). We will also ask that they sleep in isolation and provide the equipment to do so. We will take additional precautions around disinfecting the toilet immediately after sick participants use it. The river crew will take additional measures as appropriate. 

Tracing Procedures

In the event of COVID-19 illness on one of our trips, we will inform all associated parties who encountered the sick person(s).

Grand Canyon National Park Involvement

We will involve the National Park Service:

1. We will report on river COVID-19 positive cases of three or more (clusters) to the National Park Service Office of Public Health and Grand Canyon National Park dispatch as quickly as possible. We will make every effort to contact Grand Canyon National Park to request an evacuation if a trip participant experiences the following.

Emergency Warning Signs (and they are not attributable to something else, such as cold water submersion) as defined by the CDC:

• Trouble breathing, 
• Persistent pain or pressure in chest, 
• New confusion,  
• Inability to wake or stay awake, or 
• Bluish lips or face. 

2. Grand Canyon National Park Service will decide whether to evacuate someone from a rafting trip or not. Although we will initiate the conversation, they will make the final decision.
3. Evacuation may not be possible or feasible and is ultimately at the discretion of the NPS.

In the event of COVID-19 illness on one of our trips, we will inform all associated parties who encountered the sick person(s).