Below is some of the updated COVIDSafe measures that has been released by the Department of Education. I have selected the section I felt were most important to communicate with you all before returning to start Term 2. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to email me and I will endeavour to answer your questions.

Rapid antigen testing

Free rapid antigen tests will continue to be available for all staff and students in Victorian schools for the first four weeks of Term 2, 2022. Rapid antigen testing will continue to be voluntary but strongly encouraged for all primary, secondary and specialist school students and staff.

Week 1 and 2 tests were sent home with all students at the end of Term 1. Please notify the school if your child did not bring home these tests.

Week 3 and 4 tests will be distributed at the end of week 2.

Reporting positive cases

Students (or their parents) who test positive to COVID-19 must report a positive result to their school, either through the COVID Test portal or by phone or written notification; this is so the school can record that they will be absent while in 7-day isolation, provide support and learning materials as needed, and let the rest of the school community know there has been a positive case onsite and that they should monitor for symptoms.

Students and staff who tested positive and completed their 7-day isolation period are not required to participate in the RAT screening for 12 weeks after their release from isolation. In addition, if a staff member or student has recovered from COVID-19, they are not required to get tested or isolate/quarantine if re-exposed to a case within 12 weeks of ending their isolation period. Staff or students refrain from returning to school if they remain symptomatic, unless it is known that their symptoms are ongoing, or caused by an underlying health condition or medication.

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. Household and household-like contacts are no longer required to quarantine as long as they take additional safety measures in the 7 days that would have been their quarantine period. Household contacts are required to inform the school that they are attending during the 7 day period.

Principals must notify staff and the school community through an email when a student or staff member has (or multiple students or staff members) have returned a positive COVID-19 test result and had attended the school during their infectious period.

Face masks

While recommended, face masks are not required in any school settings from 11.59pm 22 April 2022. Any students or staff members who wish to wear a mask may do so, including those who are medically at-risk

This means students in Grades 3 to 6 and staff and visitors to primary schools are no longer required to wear face masks.

Household contacts attending school who are over 8 years of age are required to wear face masks indoors unless they have a valid exemption. See updated close contact requirements below.

Everyone including students aged 8 years and above must wear a face mask when travelling on public transport, taxis or ride share vehicles.

Required vaccinations for school staff

The Victorian Minister for Health has determined that COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for staff who work in schools. This includes principals, teachers, administration and education support staff, including casual relief teachers (CRTs), pre-service teachers, and Outside School Hours Care staff.

Vaccination requirements for visitors and volunteers performing work

The third dose vaccination requirements also apply to any visitors or volunteers performing work on school sites. This includes:

a person contracted to work at an education facility and who will or may be in close proximity to children, students or staff, whether or not engaged by the education operator including casual relief teachers, NDIS providers and auditors (but does not include delivery personnel)
Department staff who attend an education facility (such as allied health personnel)
staff of any other entity who attends an education facility
volunteers that attend an education facility and that work in close proximity to children, students or staff (including parent helpers)
students on placements at an education facility

Vaccination requirements for other visitors to schools (not performing work)

Parents, carers and other adult visitors are no longer required to show evidence of two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine if not performing work or volunteering at the school.

Table 1: Summary of student and staff scenarios

Scenario

Required actions for the staff member or student/family

Required actions for the school

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

Isolate at home or in private accommodation for 7 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 7 days of isolation.

Follow the Checklist for COVID cases.

The school must notify DET of positive student cases via the Vic Ed COVID Tool.

Staff members must report a positive test result and submit a leave request via eduPay on the first day of leave See COVID-19 Leave Management Guidance for details.

The school should notify the school community that there has been a case at the school using the communication templates available.

If a student or staff member tests positive through RA test, but they 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 subsequent PCR test is negative, the student or staff member can return to school.

No further action.

A student or staff member is a household contact or household-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.

Household contacts are no longer required to quarantine as long as they take additional safety measures, but are required to:

notify the school if returning during their 7 day period;
undertake daily rapid antigen testing five times within the 7 days;
wear a face covering when indoors (if aged 8 years and above or unless they have a valid exemption);
are not permitted to visit hospitals or care facilities unless an exemption applies.

They are recommended to avoid interaction with people at higher risk of severe disease from COVID-19.

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

No further action.

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 rapid antigen test, or get a PCR test if a rapid antigen testing kit 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.

No further action.

The school is not required to seek rapid antigen test results from the students or staff unless a positive test is returned.

Staff/student has contracted COVID-19, completed their 7-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 12 weeks of ending their self-isolation.

The school should confirm that the staff/student has completed their 7-day isolation period

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.

The quarantine duration for student/staff household contacts who are required to quarantine i.e. those who are not able to comply with the additional safety measures, is 7 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.

No further action.

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

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.

The school should notify DET of the change in status of a student via the Vic Ed COVID Tool.

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