The Girton eLink

COVID-19 UPDATE

Including Girton School Camps

  • This week has seen a slow but consistent decline in COVID-19 student and staff absences in the Senior School where masks became compulsory last Friday.  
     
  • In addition to wearing masks indoors at school, we ask that Senior School students wear an N95 style of mask if travelling during school hours on a bus to an excursion, sporting event, or similar. 
     
  • In the Junior School, masks are still mandated by Government for all staff and for students from Year 3 upwards. Staff and student absences from COVID-19 remain low in the Junior School. 
     
  • Twice-weekly Rapid Antigen Testing is still recommended and we strongly encourage all staff and students to continue to test each Monday and Wednesday morning. This testing is making a difference to the number of students and staff presenting at school unknowingly carrying the COVID-19 virus. 
     
  • We have been advised today of a change to the RAT screening requirements for students and staff. Previously, students and staff who tested positive for COVID-19, did not need to undertake COVID-19 screening for 30 days. This time period has changed to 8 weeks. This is subject to those students and staff having completed their 7-day isolation period and being subsequently asymptomatic.
     
  • Vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Anyone aged over 16 years can now receive a COVID-19 booster vaccination. 

 

SCHOOL CAMPS

  • A reminder to please ensure students have a supply of (ten) N95 masks for bus travel and to accommodate other possible situations on camp where masks might be required. 
     
  • Please ensure that students use a RAT on the morning of camp departure and bring a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) on camp if they will be away for more than three days, to allow a day 4 RAT while on camp. 
     
  • If by the time your child’s camp commences, they have had COVID-19 in the past eight weeks, as per new Government guidelines (received today), there is no need for them to undertake Rapid Antigen Testing during camp. So that we have a complete and accurate list of the students who are in this category, please confirm their name, year level and the date they tested positive to COVID-19 via the Astra survey here.
     
  • Please refer to the camps information provided to parents via email for further COVID-19 information relevant to camps, especially noting the requirement to collect children from camp who test positive.