Jackson School Newsletter

COVID-19 Update

Anthony Jackson (Principal)

The updated School Operations Guide and COVID-19 resources are now available on the Policy and Advisory Library, on the department’s public website. 

 

Transport of children to school by positive cases

 

From 11.59 pm on Friday 24 June 2022, parents and carers who are COVID-19 positive can leave self-isolation to transport children to or from school in a private vehicle.

The parent or carer must travel directly to and from the school only. You must remain in the vehicle at all times, unless it is reasonably necessary to leave the vehicle to walk your child to and from the entrance of the school safely. Parents/carers must wear a face mask at all times. Staff supervision at the start and end of the day will continue in Term 3. Please notify the office before you arrive if you require your child to be brought to your vehicle.

 

Face Masks

 

Following public health advice due to a rise in the number of cases of COVID-19, DET strongly recommends staff and students wear masks when indoors to keep our community safe. Household contacts attending school who are over 8 years of age are required to wear face masks indoors unless they have a valid exemption. Everyone including students aged 8 years and above must wear a face mask when travelling on public transport, taxis, or ride-share vehicles. Lawful exemptions continue to apply to our students. We have a large supply of N95 masks available from the office if families would like some. Please collect from the office. 

 

For more information, please visit: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/face-masks 

 

Rapid Antigen Testing (RATs) & Positive Cases

 

The Victorian Government is providing up to three further deliveries of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) in Term 3 and again in Term 4 to schools. Students have been sent home on Tuesday 12th July with 6 packs of 5 Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) for the remainder of the term. If your child was absent on this day your child can provide these to you on your child's return. 

 

It is recommended that rapid antigen tests are used by students and staff when symptomatic. Rapid antigen tests are also required to be used for five days if a student or staff member is an identified close contact of a confirmed case, and they are attending or working at a school onsite. From Tuesday 11th July, if you're re-exposed to a positive case after your isolation period end, you are now only exempt from testing and isolating for four weeks - reduced from 12 weeks. 

 

The ongoing supply of RATs to families in our school will ensure that parents and carers will have them should you need them if your child is a household contact or has symptoms. Families must continue to notify the Department of Health and the school if their child returns a positive RAT result. Additionally, you should inform us if any of your children are household contacts.

 

After doing the tests at home, if it is positive, you will need to:

  1. let the school know on the via the Jackson COVID Hotline 03 9366 4322; Option 4 and/or dedicated email address covid@jacksons.vic.edu.au. There is a message bank on the phone for when the phone is unmanned by our rostered COVID Officer. Families are able to message the mobile number and/or email address 24 hours a day. Please note we will only be able to respond to messages and calls within office hours.
  2. keep your child at home for 7 days 
  3. contact the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.

For more information please visit: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/keeping-schools-free-rapid-antigen-tests 

 

Vaccinations for Staff

 

From 11.59 pm on Friday 24 June 2022 (in effect, the start of Term 3, 2022), staff in mainstream schools will no longer be required to meet vaccination requirements to attend work. There are no changes to the requirements for staff in specialist schools as mandatory vaccination requirements remain in place for those working with vulnerable people. This means that staff will continue to be required to have 3 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to work in specialist schools. Vaccination remains strongly recommended for all staff, contractors, volunteers, and visitors working at Victorian government schools.

 

Boosters for eligible groups

 

The Commonwealth Department for Health and Aged Care and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has updated their recommendations for a winter dose of COVID-19 vaccine to help reduce severe disease from the emerging surge of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariant infections, and to reduce the burden on Australian hospitals and the healthcare system in coming months. ATAGI specifically recommends that people aged 50 to 64 years should have their fourth dose, while people aged 30 to 49 years may choose to have a fourth shot. 

 

The updated recommendations are:

  • Adults aged 50 to 64 years are now recommended to receive a winter booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Adults aged 30 to 49 years can receive a winter booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, however the benefit for people in this age group is less certain.
  • The interval recommended between a recent SARS-CoV-2 infection or the first booster dose and a winter booster dose is now 3 months.

Vaccination remains the best way to protect students and staff in school settings. Your ongoing support in encouraging children aged 5 to 11 to get vaccinated, and staff and students aged 16 and 17 to get their third dose, remains critical. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends an additional booster dose of Comirnaty (Pfizer) COVID-19 vaccine for eligible 12 to 15-year-olds who have completed a primary course of vaccination 3 or more months ago and:

  • are severely immunocompromised
  • have a disability with significant or complex health needs
  • have a medical condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 illness.

ATAGI also recommends an additional booster of the COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 16 to 30 who have:

  • a disability with significant or complex health needs
  • a medical condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 illness.

We strongly encourage you and your child have a winter booster if you are eligible. As per previous advice, if a person has had a recently confirmed COVID-19 infection, they should delay their next recommended COVID-19 vaccination until 3 months after their infection.

 

Flu vaccinations

 

ATAGI also recommends all people aged 6 months and over be vaccinated against influenza (flu). Flu vaccine can be administered at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine.  However, if a person is not yet eligible for their next recommended COVID-19 vaccination, flu vaccine should be given as soon as possible.

 

For more information, including how to book COVID-19 vaccines, refer to COVID-19 vaccines and Translated information about COVID-19.

 

Department of Health COVID-19 phone line

 

A dedicated COVID-19 advice phone line is available for the general public:

Phone: 1800 675 398 Hours: 24 hours / 7 days a week. If you need an interpreter, call the COVID-19 hotline and press zero (0).

 

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