Canceled MDA summer camp hits many

TACOMA — When the Muscular Dystrophy Association announced Friday that it was canceling its national summer camp program because of concerns about swine flu, it meant an abrupt change of plans for hundreds of Washington volunteers.

The weeklong MDA session at the YMCA's Camp Seymour on the Key Peninsula was to have started Saturday, the day after the announcement.

The cancellation affected scores of firefighters, Harley-Davidson motorcycle club members, National Guard members and others who assist the annual gathering of "Jerry's kids," so called because of the long support of comedian Jerry Lewis.

"The number of people affected is countless," said Geoff Ball, senior executive director of Camp Seymour. "It's been a very emotional time. No one took this lightly."

Ball stressed that no evidence of the H1N1 virus has been reported at Camp Seymour.

"The MDA kids are more susceptible to swine flu, so they're taking extra precautions," he said. Fifty-one children were enrolled to take part this year, he said.

All of the other summer sessions at Camp Seymour will continue as regularly scheduled, Ball said.

YMCA camps across the state will be extra vigilant in watching for children with flu symptoms this summer, but will make no program changes because of the pandemic, in accordance with advice from public health officials.

Calls Monday to several Northwest camps discovered none significantly altering plans because of swine flu, other than increased monitoring for symptoms and a policy of "socially isolating" children and counselors who develop flu-like symptoms and sending them home as quickly as possible.

"We haven't really changed anything," said Chris Serface, director of education at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, which offers several summer drama camps.

Public health officials say the swine flu virus has spread so widely across the country that closing schools and camps won't help contain the disease.

"The message is the same for camps as it is for schools," Joby Winans, public information officer at the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, said Monday. "Cover your coughs, wash your hands and, if you're sick, make sure the camp nurse or somebody takes a look and probably sends them home.

"And, for parents," Winans said, "if your child is sick, don't send them to camp."

The swine flu virus has affected more children and young adults than other age groups, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making summer camps a special concern for parents.

About two-thirds of those infected in the United States have been younger than 25, the CDC says, possibly because older people have previously been exposed to a similar virus and have developed some immunity.