Trinity College Colac Newsletter

Guidelines for Close Contacts

Contacts of a COVID-19 case

 

The procedures for Trinity College students and close contacts of students of Trinity College are listed below.

 

MAIN MESSAGE

Our main message to everyone is:

  • Stay home when unwell, even with the mildest of symptoms. Students and staff members who have family members experiencing symptoms and waiting for test results must stay at home.
  • Practise good hygiene: wash hands frequently with warm soap and water or use hand sanitisers and cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve 
  • Practise physical distancing: keep 1.5 m apart from others whenever possible
  • Wear a face mask at all times

 

WHAT MUST YOU DO IF YOU ARE NOTIFIED AS HAVING COVID OR AS BEING A CLOSE CONTACT?

  • Contact the school: all enquiries must be directed to Jenny Barake, the Principal’s PA, or sent to principal@ tcc.vic.edu.au

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE COVID-19?

  • You must quarantine and be tested. 
  • Follow the directions of the Department of Health.

WHO IS A PRIMARY CLOSE CONTACT?

DEFINITION: someone who has had face-to-face contact or spent time in a closed space with someone who has COVID-19 while they were infectious. 

ACTION: 

  • test and quarantine for 14 days (changing to 7 days for those double vaccinated from Friday October 22)  from day of exposure (Day 0), or as directed by DHHS
  • limit contact with other members of their household (i.e isolate)
  • can leave home quarantine when receive a negative result from a test taken no sooner than Day 13 of quarantine period
  • may be tested every 2-3 days if they wish (will shorten the total duration of quarantine they may face in case they are positive) 
  • may come out of quarantine only to write their VCE exams or get tested: contact school 

WHO IS A SECONDARY CLOSE CONTACT?

DEFINITION: someone who has had face-to-face contact with a primary close contact at least 24 hours after them being exposed to COVID-19 (e.g household contact). The current health advice for those in this position is that they can go about their regular lives and just monitor for symptoms. 

As a secondary school with VCE examinations taking place very soon, in order to do everything possible to ensure these examinations are not compromised, we have added an extra layer of protection by asking that secondary close contacts only return to school after the primary close contact receives a negative test and the secondary close contact is double vaccinated. If the secondary close contact is unvaccinated, we require them to only return once they receive a negative test result.

 

ACTION: 

  • If unvaccinated, the secondary close contact must have a test and isolate until receives a negative result
  • If vaccinated, the secondary close contact may return to school after the primary close contact receives a negative result
  • Must isolate and be tested if symptoms occur

VCE STUDENTS WRITING A VCE UNIT 3/4 EXAM

There are slight differences for students that are writing VCE Unit 3/4. This information has been communicated directly to the VCE students and their families. Contact the school if you have COVID-19 or are a close contact.