COVID-19 Mitigation Guidelines

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM), the organization who hosts NCYC, is requiring all of its participants to show proof of either a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 72 hours prior to the start of NCYC or to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It is not a requirement that participants be fully vaccinated in order to participate at NCYC this year. 

It is not requirement that participants be fully vaccinated in order to participate at NCYC this year. All participants have the option to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result no sooner than 72 hours prior to the start of NCYC on Thursday, November 18. Any negative diagnostic test result will be accepted. This includes any COVID-19 test taken in a doctor's office, a drive-up testing site, at-home, or another performing diagnostic testing. NFCYM is not recommending or requiring a particular type of diagnostic test for those who are not vaccinated. Diagnostic tests detect if a person has an active infection. A rapid or at-home test would be acceptable. Please note that blood tests detect antibodies, which the body may produce in the days or weeks following an infection. An antibody test is not a diagnostic test.

In order to pick up credentials and conference materials for NCYC, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis will be required to certify that all participants have either received a negative COVID-19 diagnostic test or are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

The Office of Youth Ministry has developed a form that is intended to be completed by parents and/or guardians on behalf of their children or by adult participants who are either already fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or will be fully vaccinated prior to the National Catholic Youth Conference on November 18-20, 2021. An individual is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 14 days after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine.

A separate online form will become available no sooner than Monday, November 15, 2021 for individuals to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test result.

Mitigation strategies are subject to change. For additional information about the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) and its COVID-19 Mitigation Guidelines, please visit the official website at:

https://nfcym.org/featured-events/ncyc/. 

1. Is NFCYM requiring everyone attending to either be fully vaccinated or to have received a negative COVID-19 test at least three days before attending NCYC?
   1. Correct.
2. Where did NFCYM's COVID strategy come from?
   1. NFCYM's Executive Director decided to require participants to EITHER have negative COVID-19 test results no more than 72 hours before arrival in Indianapolis OR to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Her decision was based on numerous factors, including the positive outcomes of other event organizers using similar strategies and the reccomentation of Indianapolis-based health care professionals with whom NFCYM has been consulting.
3. What constitutes a negative COVID test? Does the participant have to go to the doctor and get a test done? Can they get tested at a drive-up site? Would at-home tests be considered a valid test?
   1. A negative diagnostic test is a negative test. An individual may take the test in a doctor's office, a drive-up testing site, at-home, or another location performing diagnostic testing.
4. What constitutes fully vaccinated?
   1. Our understanding of being fully vaccinated is correct based on receiving two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer Bio-NTech vaccines. Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine only requires one dose. All vaccines require 14 days following the final dose for full effectiveness.
5. IF NFCYM looking for copies of vaccine records for proof? Would it count if a parent said their child was vaccinated?
   1. NFCYM is not reccomending or requiring copies of test results or vaccine records. Acceptable proof is up to the certifying ticket purchaser. In the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, this would be the Delegation Leader/Office of Youth Ministry. Participants will need to provide documentation of your response if asked, for example, by medical staff. A verbal statement is hard to document.
6. Is there a requirement for the type of test used for the 72-hour negative test requirement? (i.e., rapid test, blood test, at-home test)
   1. NFCYM is not reccomending or requiring a particular type of diagnostic test for those who are not vaccinated. Diagnostic tests detect is a person has an active infection. A rapid or at-home test would be acceptable.
   2. Please note that blood tests detect antibodies, which the body may produce in the days or weeks following an infection. An antibody test is not a diagnostic test.
7. Does NFCYM have a suggestion for where participants can find at-home tests?
   1. NFCYM is working with a company on no-cost at-home PCR tests. From what they have learned, participants would request a test kit online and the kit would be sent to participants homes via UPS. Participants would self-swab, return the kit by pre-aid UPS, and results would be available within 24 hours of receipt by the lab. NFCYM currently does not have information on at-home rapid tests.
   2. More information is forthcoming.
8. How will the Archdiocese of Indianapolis certify results?
   1. The Delegation Leader/Office of Youth Ministry will certify their participants' status by signing a statement that all group members are either fully vaccinated for COVID-19 OR have had a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival in Indianapolis and that documentation of such can be provided is asked. It is up to the Delegation Leader to devise a method by which they will obtain this information.
   2. To demonstrate Proof of Vaccination, participants may submit a response to our online form to share the date or their final dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine. Results will be collected on a secure online platform.
9. What will certification look like?
   1. At onsite credential pick-up, the delegation leader/Office of Youth Ministry will have to sign the following declaration:
      1. I, [fill in your name], attest that all members of my group have presented me documentation of either their negative COVID-19 test results or their complete vaccination.
10. Since [testing or vaccination] was not a requirement that was mentioned when tickets went on sale, would NFCYM consider doing refunds for people who would not want to get vaccinated?
    1. No. Vaccination is not a requirement for participation. Those who do not want to be vaccinated may provide a negative diagnostic test results.
    2. When sales began, NFCYM stated that they were still developing their COVID guidelines and that they were subject to change. Local healthcare professionals advised NFCYM not to finalize plans until the Fall, understanding that reccomendations could change as the virus mutates, treatments are improved, and vaccines are more widely adopted.
    3. NFCYM does not anticipate relaxing their COVID mitigation strategies, but must reserve the right to tighten their guidance if required to do so by local, state, or federal quthorities.
    4. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis communicated on our NCYC Ticket Request Form that all ticket requests, once approved by the Office of Youth Ministry, are considered to be final. Group Leaders and parishes may review our cancellation policy as described in our NCYC Group Leader Packet.
11. Should ALL participants [be tested within 72 hours of arrival in Indianapolis] since vaccinated individuals can still get COVID-19?
    1. Leaders may require testing of all their group participants, but NFCYM will not make that a condition of attendance unless it becomes a local, state, or federal requirement.
12. What should daily health screenings by adult leaders/chaperones look like? Even within my group, we have different ideas of what we should or should not be doing. Definitive guidance from NFCYM would help us to agree on what we need to do.
    1. Daily health screenings of group members help leaders identify, isolate, and treat anyone who may be feeling sick. NFCYM will not collect health screening results. Our local healthcare adviser suggests that affirmative responses to the following questions should be cause for concern:
       1. Are you short of breath?
       2. Do you have a dry cough?
       3. Have you lost your sense of taste of smell?
       4. Is your throat sore?
       5. Do you have a headache?
       6. Are you feeling fatigued or weak?
       7. Do you have sneezing, watering eyes, or sunis pressure that is unusual/not related to known allergies?
13. Will NFCYM check temperatures at entrances, or is that part of our daily health screenings done by adult leaders/chaperones?
    1. At this time, our local healthcare team has stated that temperature taking is not a good health screening practice.
14. What is the mask policy at NCYC?
    1. Everyone must wear a face covering/mask that covers their nose and mouth while in the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium, except during designated breaks and while actively eating or drinking in designated areas. Speakers, artists, and others who appear on a stage may remove their masks while on stage. 
    2. Face coverings should have two (2) or more layers of breathable fabric, which completely covers the nose and mouth, are secure under the chin, fit snuggly against the face without gaps, and have a nose wire to prevent air leaking from the top layer of the mask. 
    3. Face shields alone (without a mask), masks with exhalation valves, single-layer bandanas, bandanas that are open below the chin, single-layer gaiters, scarves, and costume masks are unacceptable.
15. Will NFCYM be offering any refunds to participants at NCYC this year?
    1. NFCYM has updated their cancellation policy for NCYC this year to include one circumstance in which a refund may be offered: if an individual receives a positive COVID-19 diagnostic test result between November 6-18. Documentation will be required. The ticket purchaser (the Archdiocese of Indianapolis) must submit the documentation in order to receive a reimbursement. NFCYM will not unreasonably withhold the refund, but may require verification of results.
16. Is the Archdiocese of Indianapolis going to revise their Cancellation Policy due to the updated COVID-19 Mitigation Guidelines from NFCYM for in-person participation at NCYC 2021?
    1. Yes. Parish Groups may use the online cancellation form to cancel tickets until the end of the day on Monday, October 11, 2021. A Cancellation Fee of $100 per cancelled ticket will be assessed on the December Billing Cycle for Parish Assessments.