Based heavily on the hygiene concept of System Change Camp 2023

These guidelines, which were agreed upon by the SCC Camp Organizing Committee, are intended to regulate hygiene measures for the prevention and intervention of infectious diseases at the camp and to serve as a reference work. The individual measures should be adapted to the situation. To ensure this, the medics will monitor the incidence of infection. Any further measures that may be necessary (see infection control plan) will be decided in consultation with the medics and the emergency team and then communicated to the camp. An abridged version of the concept will be posted and distributed via social media.

The SystemChangeCamp will take place in Frankfurt am Main in August 2025. High temperatures are expected. The region itself is not considered a TBE risk area, but it borders on such areas. In general, the gathering of an expected 1,500 people at peak times poses a certain risk of infection for everyone. In order to protect vulnerable groups and not to trigger or exacerbate an epidemic, it is the task of the SCC organization to publicize the guidelines agreed upon by consensus and to raise awareness of individual and collective hygiene. These guidelines are mandatory for everyone, without exception.

Information material will be available at various locations in the camp to raise awareness. Hygiene instructions will be posted/available at every toilet, sink, food queue/serving area, and at the information point. People in particularly hygiene-sensitive areas (kitchen, toilets, care) will receive hygiene instructions as part of their onboarding. We provide instructions on how to wash your hands thoroughly. The long version of the hygiene guidelines will be available in German (difficult language & simple language) and English in the medical tent and at the information point, as well as on the website. The short version will also be shared on social media. The information point team will inform arrivals about the hygiene guidelines.

Respiratory diseases are ubiquitous, whether COVID-19, influenza (viral flu), or other diseases that find optimal conditions for colonization and reproduction in our upper respiratory tract. Many are not critical for healthy adults (we have all had a cold at some point), but for some people, such diseases can be life-threatening or lead to serious consequences (e.g., long COVID). That is why we see it as our responsibility and duty to consider people’s individual needs in terms of hygiene and infection control. Only in this way can we break down barriers and include vulnerable people. We have therefore established some basic rules regarding respiratory diseases. You can find these in the section on infection prevention. Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 usually manifest themselves through general cold symptoms such as coughing, a runny nose, fever, headache, aching limbs, sore throat, and shortness of breath. COVID is also often accompanied by a loss of smell and taste. Please take care of yourself and take appropriate measures if you experience symptoms. Please also note the incubation period of 1-4 days when risk contacts become known.

We would like everyone to test themselves for COVID-19 before arriving. If you suspect you may be infected or have been in contact with someone who is ill, please inform your close contacts and then test yourselves regularly. COVID tests are available at the medical tent. Further regulations can be found in the section “Dealing with infections.”

When large groups of people come together, gastrointestinal diseases are a real danger and should not be underestimated. Not only are they highly contagious, but they are also extremely dangerous due to the high loss of nutrients and fluids, especially for people with pre-existing conditions or weakened immune systems and small children/babies. The most common route of transmission is fecal-oral, i.e., through poor hand hygiene. The incubation period is usually relatively short (a few hours to a day). If you notice typical symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, please do not travel. If you have diarrhea (if you are unsure, see the diarrhea information posters) or vomit in the camp toilet, please mark it as a “diarrhea toilet.” There is a note for this in every toilet. Further measures can be found in the section “Dealing with infections.”

Physical intimacy and sex often involve the exchange of or contact with bodily fluids such as saliva, vaginal secretions, semen, or blood. Protection against sexually transmitted diseases should be given special consideration in these contexts. Since there are usually long incubation periods and symptoms only become apparent at a late stage, protection is extremely important. Condoms and dental dams will be available in the first aid tent and in the equipment store. Please use them, talk to your sexual partners about contraception before having sex, and reach an individual consensus. Good to know: Regular testing helps! This can usually be done anonymously and free of charge. Find out about services in your city.

Coughing and sneezing etiquette

We make sure to cough or sneeze into the crook of our elbow and turn away from other people.

Hand hygiene

Everyone at the camp is required to follow certain hand hygiene rules. This is the only way we can prevent infections and protect ourselves and others. Times for hand disinfection/hand washing:vor und nach dem Essen/ Trinken/ Rauchen/ Substanzkonsum

• Before and after eating/drinking/smoking/substance use
• Before entering a communal tent, i.e.:
  • Info Point
  • Care structure tents (Awareness, Medical, Kitchen)
  • Workshop tents
  • Infrastructure tents (equipment tents, etc.)
• BOTH BEFORE and AFTER using the toilet
• Before and after contact with food, excrement, or patients (specifically: special rules for certain structures)

Sinks can be found at the food distribution point and the toilets. All locations are marked on the camp map. Medical tents and the kitchen have their own sinks and toilets. Please only use these if you belong to the structure, not because it is closer or the queue is shorter. 😉

Hand sanitizer can be found at the toilets, at the food distribution point, in every care tent, and at various other central locations.

Respiratory masks

There will be a few predefined locations where masks are mandatory in the event of increased incidence rates:

• Medical tent
• Food distribution (Küfa and other locations where food and beverages are distributed)
• Food preparation (for food preparation shifts)

The medical staff will monitor the incidence of infection at the camp and inform structures and participants if thresholds (see below) have been exceeded and the corresponding hygiene regulations come into force.

We encourage people to wear respiratory masks (e.g., FFP2 masks), especially in large groups of people and indoors, such as in tents, to protect themselves and others. While we would only impose obligations in a few exceptional cases, we would like to ask all participants to take the need for protection of particularly vulnerable people seriously and to respond positively to requests to wear a mask. Program leaders are asked to inform participants of the possibility of agreeing to wear masks collectively, to inquire about corresponding needs, and to inform new arrivals of the outcome if necessary.

Please bring enough masks with you to be able to respond flexibly to the infection situation and hygiene needs. You can also obtain masks from the first aid or care tent.

Menstrual and hygiene products

In addition to toilet paper, tampons and sanitary pads will also be available in the toilets. Some Places2Pee locations have a water connection for rinsing menstrual cups; these are marked as such.

The supply room will have an emergency stock of other hygiene products such as toothbrushes and contraceptives, which you are free to use.

Disinfection

Surfaces in particular are constantly contaminated with germs, in addition to visible contamination with dirt. Simple cleaning with soap and water does not kill many pathogens. It only removes them via the water, leaving a residue on the surface. Only chemical surface disinfection can kill most germs. In addition, people often do not wash their hands thoroughly and correctly, which exacerbates the problem.

Surfaces that are touched by many people (water taps, kitchen counters, care tables, tables in the medical tent) and those that come into contact with excrement (toilet seats, squat toilet grids, toilet door handles) are disinfected several times a day (implemented independently by the respective structures). Gloves should be worn for personal protection. We only use formaldehyde-free disinfectants that are as environmentally friendly as possible. The facilities working with these disinfectants receive a disinfection and cleaning plan.

Ventilation

Communal tents should have large openings wherever possible to ensure adequate ventilation. The respective moderators or organizers will ensure that rooms are ventilated regularly. In closed rooms without adequate ventilation, we recommend wearing FFP2 masks.

Social distancing

We expect all camp participants to take into account the need to maintain minimum distances wherever possible. Please be mindful of the well-being of people outside your reference group in your immediate vicinity, especially in food queues and enclosed spaces such as tents. Feel free to inform others of your desire for distance (and/or the wearing of masks, if the distance is not maintained).

Smoking

Smoking contributes significantly to the spread of aerosols in the environment and can thus spread pathogens through the air. Please never smoke in enclosed spaces or places without direct exhaust air (e.g., under sun protection tarps), but use the consumption space and always keep a generous distance from bystanders when smoking.

Measures to take in the event of gastrointestinal infections

If a person develops symptoms during their stay that indicate a gastrointestinal infection (nausea, vomiting, etc.), they are required to

• mark the toilet they have used as a diarrhea toilet and, if necessary, only use diarrhea toilets from then on
• no longer perform any helper tasks, especially not in the kitchen, with the shit brigade, or the medics!
• practice consistent hand hygiene
• wear a mask as often as possible
• inform their reference group and other people with whom they have had close contact
• Report to the medics to be tested (again) for COVID-19 and to keep the anonymized list of the extent of a possible outbreak up to date
• Consider leaving with your affinity group

Measures in case of COVID-19 infection

If a person develops symptoms during their stay that indicate an acute COVID-19 infection (cold symptoms, fever, etc.), they are required to

• test themselves for COVID-19 daily
• wear an FFP2 mask throughout the camp grounds
• isolate themselves from other people
• consider leaving with their reference group

If a person discovers that they have an infection, they are also required to

die gekennzeichnete COVID-19-Toilette zu nutzen

• use the designated COVID-19 toilet
• inform their reference group and other people with whom they have had close contact
• report to the medical staff in order to be tested (again) for COVID-19 and to keep the anonymized list of the extent of a possible outbreak up to date
• consider leaving with their reference group

Conditions for the implementation of an infection control plan

As soon as

• at least five new COVID-19 infections are detected within one day, or
• people working in positions relevant to superspreading, e.g., kitchen, food distribution, kiosk, crêpe stand, pizza stand, shit brigade, contract COVID-19 or a gastrointestinal infection,
• at least 6 toilets are marked as diarrhea toilets at the same time and a task force consisting of members of the Sanis, shit brigade, and emergency team decides to do so

stage 1 of the infection control plan (generally increased safety measures) comes into effect

As soon as

• at least 30 new COVID-19 infections have been detected within one day and a task force consisting of members of the medical team, Shit Brigade, and emergency team decides to do so

Stage 2 of the infection control plan (cancellation of the camp) comes into effect.

Infection control plan

At level 1 of the infection control plan (generally increased safety measures), the following must be observed:

• Minimum distances must be maintained.
• Hands must be washed and disinfected regularly.
• Masks must be worn by all camp participants indoors, such as in tents, and in crowded outdoor areas, such as food queues.
• Masks must be worn at all times by all persons working in positions relevant to superspreading, e.g., kitchen, food distribution, kiosk, crêpe stand, pizza stand, shit brigade.
• Hold program items with a reduced number of participants whenever possible to enable minimum distances to be maintained.
• Ventilate all rooms for five minutes at least every 30 minutes.
• Toilets must be disinfected every three hours.
• All participants must be regularly informed about the current infection situation via the information channel and camp announcements.
• The camp organization must regularly issue additional reminders about compliance with hygiene and safety rules.

At level 2 of the infection control plan (cancellation of the camp)

• masks must be worn at all times by all persons,
• all food distribution points must be closed before the next meal is prepared,
• future program items must be canceled and all program providers must be informed immediately,
• all participants must be asked to leave as soon as possible,
• the camp must be dismantled in accordance with the protective measures from level 1 and in descending order of priority of the respective structures.

Shit Brigade

Toilets and washing facilities offer a wonderful opportunity for the spread of pathogens. It is therefore absolutely essential that everyone washes or disinfects their hands before and after using the toilet and cleaning these structures. Cleaning the toilets is the task of the Shit Brigade and is usually done three times a day. The toilets should be designed so that small animals (rats, dogs) cannot reach the poop bins, as they usually want to eat in the kitchen afterwards and then spread the germs directly there.
If a person works in the Shit Brigade, that person is NOT allowed to work in the kitchen or with the medics for the next three days!

Medics

Before starting and after finishing their shift, Sanis wash their hands with soap and water. Before and after contact with patients, their hands are disinfected. Gloves are worn for all aseptic activities. Sanis also observe the general rules of hand hygiene. They do not work in the kitchen or with the shit brigade. Masks are mandatory in the medical tent (treatment), regardless of whether there are patients present or not! When patients are in the tent, an FFP2 mask is also worn, especially if the tent is closed during treatment to protect people’s privacy. Smoking and eating are not permitted in the medical tent. Medics make sure that no personal items are left among medical supplies and disinfect used equipment (blood pressure cuffs, etc.) immediately.

Kitchen & food distribution

All decisions on topics such as food hygiene or similar issues fall within the remit of the kitchen and are handled autonomously and independently by the relevant collective. Nevertheless, some key points are set out here:

• There may be two food lines: one where people wear masks and one where they do not.
• People who work or help in the kitchen or food distribution should receive a brief hygiene orientation in which basic information about hand washing, etc. is shared.
• Helpers in the kitchen or food distribution must not have
  • cleaned toilets in the last three days (not even at home!),
  • shown any symptoms of illness, and
  • not have worked as medics.
• People who work in the kitchen or food service should tie their hair back if necessary.
• People from the core kitchen team are NOT allowed to work in the shit brigade or as medics.
• People from the core kitchen team must use a separate toilet and separate sinks.