COVID

Dear Parents and Carers,

There is at present an increase in community transmission of COVID-19 in Victoria.

You can help us keep our school as safe as possible by taking 2 important steps:

1. Ensure your COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date. Information on how and where to get vaccinated is available on the Get vaccinated webpage.

2. If your child shows symptoms of COVID-19, please ensure they stay home and get tested. The easiest way to test is to use a rapid antigen test (RAT). Free RATs are available from school. Also at your local council where you can collect 2 packs of 5 RATs and an extra 2 packs for each person in your household. People with disability and their carers can get 4 packs of 5 RATs. You are not required to have a Medicare card and you can collect RATs as many times as you need. You can also buy RATs at supermarkets, pharmacies and other retailers.

If your child has symptoms but tests negative, please ensure they stay home until they no longer have symptoms.

If the RAT test result is positive, please ensure they say home for at least 5 days and until there are no more symptoms.

Thank you for your support – these steps will help us all stay well.

Immunisation Catch-Ups

Secondary school immunisations are provided to students to reduce their risk of contracting preventable diseases and some cancers. Health advice regarding immunisations recommends students receive the following:

Year 7

· Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine (one dose)

· Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (one dose).

Year 10

· Meningococcal A, C, W, Y vaccine (one dose).

There are a number of students who may have missed these important vaccines. This puts students at an increased risk of illness.

If your child missed out on their school-based vaccinations, please speak to your GP or local council immunisation service about how they can catch up. To check if your child is due for any vaccines, refer to their immunisation history statement on the Australian Immunisation Register, using your MyGov account. If your child is aged over 14, they may need to access their immunisation history statement themselves, through their own MyGov account or the Medicare mobile app.

New HPV vaccination resources to assist young people with disability.

Young people with a disability should have the same access to preventive healthcare and immunisations as everyone else. Vaccinations can be stressful, and there are sometimes unique barriers for people with disability.

Cancer Council Victoria, in consultation with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Scope Australia, has developed the following resources for parents and carers to improve the vaccination experience for young people with disability:

· Help your child with disability get the HPV vaccine (fact sheet)

· Supporting your child with a disability with vaccination (videos)

· Preparing for school vaccinations (social story).

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