Healthy Community
Stay well this winter
Symptoms of influenza (flu) can hit very quickly and may last several weeks. Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and others from getting the flu.
Keeping our school community well
Parents, carers and students are encouraged to practice prevention measures, including:
. washing and sanitising hands regularly
. avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
. covering nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing
. staying home if unwell and consulting a general practitioner (GP) or Nurse-on-call as required
. staying up to date with flue and COVID-19 vaccinations
Flu vaccinations
Flu vaccinations can be booked through GP's and pharmacies, many of which can also provide COVID-19 vaccinations. Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and over.
Some people are more at risk of complications from flu and are eligible for free vaccination as part of the National Immunisation Program.
COVID-19 booster
The 2024 COVID-19 booster dose is available for everyone aged 18 and above.
Getting your booster dose remains the best way to prevent severe illness or hospitalisation, especially in people over 65 and those at higher risk of severe illness.
Children aged between 5 and 17 years who are at risk of severe illness can also receive a 2024 booster dose.
You can get your next dose at your local pharmacy or GP.
Staying COVID Safe
Reducing community transmission of COVID in Victoria.
You can help us keep our school as safe as possible by taking 2 important steps:
1. Ensure your COVID 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, please ensure they stay home and get tested. The easiest way to test is to use a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).
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.
Vaping
Smoking and Vaping is banned in and around schools
The Tobacco Act 1987 bans smoking or vaping on school premises or within 4 metres of any pedestrian access point to school premises. The smoking and vaping ban applies to:
- anyone present on school premises during and outside of school hours including students, teachers, and school visitors
- all activities that take place on school premises.
Smoking and vaping are also not permitted during school events and excursions held off school premises.
Smoking is burning something to breathe smoke into the lungs, such as a cigarette. Vaping is breathing in vapor from heated liquid.
Both smoking and vaping involve breathing in chemicals that can harm your health.
How vaping affects your child's body
Vaping can cause significant harm to your child’s body:
- Short-term it can cause vomiting, nausea, coughing, shortness of breath, mouth irritation and asthma
- Long-term it can cause lung damage, heart disease and cancers.
E-cigarettes are still being studied, but most experts think it is likely vaping will cause lung and mouth cancers.
Nicotine is a poison that can make people sick if swallowed and has been linked to the deaths of small children.
Exposing children and teens to nicotine can harm their brain development and lead to higher risk of dependence. Children and teens who use e-cigarettes are more than three times more likely to move onto smoking cigarettes.
E-cigarettes can also explode and catch fire.
Talking to your child or teen about smoking and vaping
As a parent or carer, you have an important role in protecting your child from smoking and vaping. Parent views on smoking and vaping can influence their children’s behaviours. The most important thing you can do is to talk to your child or teen about smoking, vaping and other drugs.