Deputy Principal, Wellbeing

Temporary exemption from isolation if you recently had COVID-19

If you have recovered from COVID-19, you aren’t required to get tested or isolate/quarantine if you are re-exposed to a case within 8 weeks of ending your isolation period.

After 8 weeks, you must follow the relevant advice depending on the type of contact you are.

Kristen Waldron

Dear Parents,

Thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate through another challenging period of Covid. The school continues to monitor the situation very closely. We have removed the requirement to wear masks at school but if we have an increase in case numbers, we will review this measure. Students are reminded daily about the importance of social distancing, good hygiene and remaining at home if they have any symptoms.

Below is the most up to date information on managing a positive case or as a household contact.

Students who report a positive result must isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
Where a student is a household contact of a positive case (that is, they have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility) they must inform the school and isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.

Scenario	Required actions for the staff member or student/family
A student or staff member tests positive to COVID-19, either through Rapid Antigen (RA) test or PCR test	Isolate at home or in private accommodation for seven days (inclusive of weekends) and do not attend school during this period. Inform the school, that they have tested positive to COVID-19. A negative test is not required to return to school following completion of seven days of isolation. Follow the Checklist for COVID cases.
If a student or staff member tests positive through RA test, but don’t have symptoms or have not been in contact with anyone who has COVID-19 it is recommended getting a PCR test within 48 hours and stay isolated at all times until they receive their result. If the PCR test is negative, the student or staff member can return to school
A student or staff member is a household contact or house-like contact. You have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility.* Contact at school is not included in this definition, unless contact has occurred in a school-based residential setting, e.g. school camp or boarding school.	Notify the school that they are a household or household-like contact. Follow the Checklist for COVID contacts. Students must quarantine for seven days (inclusive of weekends) and must not attend school during this period. Staff members must quarantine for seven days (inclusive of weekends) and must not attend school during this period unless a critical work exemption has been agreed.
A student or staff member has been in contact with a case of COVID-19, including at school or at work.	If asymptomatic, students and staff should continue to attend school and monitor for symptoms. If symptomatic, all students/staff must stay/return home, take a RA, or get a PCR test if a RA kit is unavailable. On receipt of a negative test result, the student/staff member can return to school. If staff/students are too unwell to attend school, usual leave/absence policies apply. Follow the Checklist for COVID contacts.
Staff/student has contracted COVID-19, completed their seven-day isolation period and is asymptomatic.	Staff/ students can safely return to school. They do not need to be tested if they have been re-exposed within 8 weeks.
Staff/student has completed their quarantine period as a household contact and has returned a negative test result. However, during the quarantine period an additional member of the household has returned a positive result.	Student/staff household contacts should quarantine for seven days from the date of the first positive test of the household index case. Household contacts are not subject to rolling quarantine periods. If the index case remains in the household, or if subsequent cases are identified within the household, the quarantine end date for the close contact is unchanged. Staff/ students can safely return to school and do not require negative test documentation. Please note, if the staff or student becomes symptomatic, they should get tested and not attend school.
Staff/student with a positive RA test (probable case) who receives a negative PCR test within 48 hours after the positive RA test	Staff/student can end their period of self-isolation period. They can safely return to school. Recommend that they notify school of negative PCR test result. If staff/students are too unwell to attend school, usual leave/absence policies apply.

Scenario

Required actions for the staff member or student/family

A student or staff member tests positive to COVID-19, either through Rapid Antigen (RA) test or PCR test

Isolate at home or in private accommodation for seven days (inclusive of weekends) and do not attend school during this period.

Inform the school, that they have tested positive to COVID-19.

A negative test is not required to return to school following completion of seven days of isolation.

Follow the Checklist for COVID cases.

If a student or staff member tests positive through RA test, but don’t have symptoms or have not been in contact with anyone who has COVID-19 it is recommended getting a PCR test within 48 hours and stay isolated at all times until they receive their result.

If the PCR test is negative, the student or staff member can return to school

A student or staff member is a household contact or house-like contact*.

You have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility.

Contact at school is not included in this definition, unless contact has occurred in a school-based residential setting, e.g. school camp or boarding school.

Notify the school that they are a household or household-like contact.

Follow the Checklist for COVID contacts.

Students must quarantine for seven days (inclusive of weekends) and must not attend school during this period.

Staff members must quarantine for seven days (inclusive of weekends) and must not attend school during this period unless a critical work exemption has been agreed.

A student or staff member has been in contact with a case of COVID-19, including at school or at work.

If asymptomatic, students and staff should continue to attend school and monitor for symptoms.

If symptomatic, all students/staff must stay/return home, take a RA, or get a PCR test if a RA kit is unavailable.

On receipt of a negative test result, the student/staff member can return to school.

If staff/students are too unwell to attend school, usual leave/absence policies apply.

Follow the Checklist for COVID contacts.

Staff/student has contracted COVID-19, completed their seven-day isolation period and is asymptomatic.

Staff/ students can safely return to school. They do not need to be tested if they have been re-exposed within 8 weeks.

Staff/student has completed their quarantine period as a household contact and has returned a negative test result.

However, during the quarantine period an additional member of the household has returned a positive result.

Student/staff household contacts should quarantine for seven days from the date of the first positive test of the household index case.

Household contacts are not subject to rolling quarantine periods. If the index case remains in the household, or if subsequent cases are identified within the household, the quarantine end date for the close contact is unchanged.

Staff/ students can safely return to school and do not require negative test documentation.

Please note, if the staff or student becomes symptomatic, they should get tested and not attend school.

Staff/student with a positive RA test (probable case) who receives a negative PCR test within 48 hours after the positive RA test

Staff/student can end their period of self-isolation period. They can safely return to school.

Recommend that they notify school of negative PCR test result.

If staff/students are too unwell to attend school, usual leave/absence policies apply.

Kristen Waldron

Deputy Principal, Wellbeing

Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub Flyer

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Kate Couchman

School Counsellor