COVID-19 Safety Measures

Updated November 2021

As we plan for all of our upcoming mission trips, we are looking at everything to ensure that we are keeping both local communities and trip participants safe, while providing meaningful and life-changing service trips. We believe it’s not only possible but that it will be worth the effort more than ever before!

Everything we are planning will be done with the best practices and recommendations for safety, for our groups as well as our ministry partners. While we are excited to serve our cities, we want to be careful, respectful, and sensitive to everyone we connect with.

All group housing and service opportunities will comply with the specific cities' requirements for sanitization, masks and social distancing. Specifics will be provided throughout the registration process. We ask for your flexibility and understanding with these changes.

CSM will be observing the following CDC-recommended safety guidelines on all upcoming mission trips.

 
 

Pre-Trip

MAKE SURE YOUR GROUP ARRIVES HEALTHY FOR THEIR MISSION TRIP

 

Prior to Arriving

Trip participants cannot attend if they are are showing any COVID-19 symptoms, have experienced COVID-19 symptoms in the last 10 days, or if they have been around someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

However, if you have been fully vaccinated* and have been exposed to COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine and therefore may participate on the trip. If symptoms were to develop, we would follow our “On-Trip” - COVID-19 policy.

Monitoring Symptoms & Testing

Trip Leaders are required to acknowledge that their group has not shown any COVID-19 symptoms and have all received a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hrs of the trip start date. If you have been fully vaccinated*, you do not need to receive a negative COVID-19 test unless you are experiencing symptoms.

Additionally, all trip participants are required to a sign COVID-19 Acknowledgment Waiver.

Vaccinated Trip Participants

If you have been fully vaccinated* and have been exposed to COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine and therefore may participate on the trip. If symptoms were to develop, we would follow our “On-Trip” - COVID-19 policy.”

Fully vaccinated trip participants should be prepared follow local guidelines with regards to wearing mask.

 
 

*Following CDC guidance, people are considered fully vaccinated:

  • 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or

  • 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

 

On-Trip

STAY HEALTHY DURING YOUR MISSION TRIP

 

Masks

Masks may be required in all indoor spaces not solely occupied or used by your group. Additionally, masks may be required when trip participants are out in the community- this includes all partner sites, ministry activities, and when you are in the company of a local community member, a member of a team other than your own, or CSM Staff Member. Your CSM City Director will provide updated mask guidelines to Trip Leaders during pre-trip communications or when you arrive on-site.

All trip participants are required to bring their own cloth face masks and must carry one on their person at all times.

Social Distancing

Social distancing will be implemented wherever possible at the housing sites, partner sites, and during any other times when groups gather. Exact details related to your mission trip will be shared with the Trip Leaders during pre-trip communications or when you arrive on-site.

Temperature Checks

To ensure we’re doing the best we can to stay on top of any infections not caught by pre-trip COVID-19 testing, temperature checks will be performed by a CSM Staff Member each morning before trip participants head out for the day.

Trip Participants with a fever of 100.4°F or higher will not be allowed to participate in the day’s activities**. Trip Participants with a fever of 100.4°F or higher will be allowed to rejoin team activities if/when their high temperature goes below 100.4°F.

 
 

**If any trip participant maintains a temperature above 100.4°F and/or shows other outward symptoms related to COVID-19, your CSM City Director will provide the location of the closest COVID-19 testing site to the Trip Leader, in order to help determine if the trip participant has been infected. It will be the responsibility of the Trip Leader to help the trip participant obtain test results and notify your CSM City Director.

In the event of a positive test, the CSM City Director will work in conjunction with the Trip Leader and the CSM Home Office to determine the best course of action related to quarantining team members or altering the remainder of the trip for the team.

Any additional costs related to testing, medical care or the need to quarantine will be the sole responsibility of the individual or the team.