COVID 19 Update

IRemoving isolation requirements

Published 7 October 2022

National Cabinet announced their decision to remove the isolation requirements for COVID-19 positive cases. The NSW Department of Education is working on this to make sure our COVID-smart settings in schools are aligned when the change to isolation comes into effect on Friday 14 October. In the meantime, schools will continue to follow the same measures we had in place for Term 3 (outlined on this web page). An update will be provided as soon as it is available.

In Term 4 2022, your child’s school will continue to operate with a number of COVID-smart measures that were in place in the previous term to minimise transmission and keep schools open while prioritising student and staff wellbeing.

These key COVID-smart measures include:

staying home and getting tested if unwell, and only attending school when symptom free

mandatory mask-wearing for all staff and visitors when working with or visiting students who are at greater risk of serious illness should they contract COVID-19, whether they are in a school for specific purpose (SSP), support unit or mainstream classroom

rapid antigen testing for symptomatic students and staff, and household or close contacts attending school to learn or work (note that household/close contacts may not attend an SSP or support unit)

strongly encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations for students, staff and their families, including a booster shot (when eligible) and maintaining double dose vaccination requirements for staff who work in an SSP

strict requirements for household/close contacts attending school (not in an SSP or support unit)

good hygiene practices including regular hand washing with soap and warm water and/or use of hand sanitiser

maintaining natural ventilation, with consideration of local environmental circumstances

boosted cleaning during the day, with particular attention given to high touch surface areas

assessing risk and applying appropriate safeguards across activities and events

strongly encouraging mask-wearing for all staff, students and visitors on school sites, particularly indoors and when physical distancing is not possible

learning remotely where face-to-face learning is not possible.

In certain circumstances, NSW Health and the Department of Education may advise that additional COVID-smart measures be temporarily reintroduced at your school. Your principal will work with the Health, Safety and Staff Wellbeing Case Management team and provide further details of any changes to COVID-smart measures at your school, when required. These temporary measures may include:

ceasing large indoor gatherings

ceasing off-site and inter-school activities

cancelling or postponing overnight activities and excursions, including school camps

mandating mask wearing for adults and high school students

limiting visitors to schools

separating cohorts of students

learning from home or remotely.

Household/close contacts attending school

Being together in a classroom is the most effective way for students to learn and grow. Since COVID-19 remains a relatively mild illness for most children, the NSW Government is committed to school safety in 2022.

Students and staff who are identified as household/close contacts and have no symptoms can attend school (excluding schools for specific purposes (SSPs) and support units) if they follow certain guidelines agreed with NSW HealthExternal link in addition to the NSW Health guidelinesExternal link:

They must notify the school and/or early childhood education (ECE) service provider (including their outside of school hours care provider) if they are intending to return under this provision.

They should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result each morning before attending school for 5 school days.

They (if in a secondary school setting) must wear a mask indoors except when eating or exercising. Primary school students are recommended to wear a mask indoors (except when eating or exercising).

No student or staff member identified as a household/close contact will be permitted to participate in overnight excursions, including school camps.

No apprentices, trainees or students on placement or staff member identified as a household/close contact will be permitted to attend settings identified as high risk by NSW Health (healthcare, aged care, disability care or correctional facilities), which in the department context includes schools for specific purposes (SSPs) and support units.

Any visitor to a school site who is a household/close contact is required to advise the school that they are a household/close contact before they come on site. These visitors should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result before attending. They must also wear a mask indoors at all times. Schools should consider if the visit can be conducted virtually.

The department has determined that household and close contacts will not be permitted to return to a school for specific purposes (SSPs) or to a support unit (including Assisted School Travel Program) and will be supported to continue learning or working from home where possible.

Students and staff at greater risk of serious illness, if they were to contract COVID-19, should speak with their treating medical practitioner or specialist, to review their health support plan or COVID-19 action plan and speak with the school about any local considerations.

Note that staff and students who have had confirmed COVID-19 in the last 4 weeks do not have to comply with the following guidelines if they become a household or close contact and are not required to self-isolate or test unless they develop new COVID-19 symptoms.

The department’s Health, Safety and Staff Wellbeing Case Management team will continue to work with schools around temporary use of additional COVID-smart measures for short periods of time based on localised risk assessments.

Testing

Remember: Staff and students cannot attend school if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19External link, If symptoms occur at any time, your child should not attend school and should undertake a rapid antigen test (RAT).

The department has advised schools to maintain appropriate levels of RAT supplies to support symptomatic testing in the event of an outbreak.

If a student is unwell and has any COVID-19 symptomsExternal link, even the mildest of symptoms, they should always test for COVID-19.

If the test comes back negative for COVID-19, the student should still not return to school until either:

The student no longer has any symptoms, or

A medical certificate is provided to the school confirming that symptoms are explained by another diagnosis (such as hay fever)

It is important that students do not attend school if they are unwell, even if they have tested negative for COVID-19. Rapid antigen tests can produce false negative results and symptoms of other illnesses can also be similar to COVID-19, including flu, the common cold and stomach bugs. Health advice is that students who are sick should always stay home to rest and recover and avoid putting other students and staff at risk of getting sick.

It is recommended that students and staff that return to school after recovering from COVID-19 do not participate in rapid antigen testing for 4 weeks following release from self-isolation unless they develop new COVID-19 symptoms. This is due to NSW Health advice that people who have recovered from COVID-19 have a low risk of contracting it again in the following 4 weeks.

For positive COVID-19 cases

If there is a positive case in your child’s class, year or other grouping, your child can continue to attend school in line with NSW Health advice.

If a student or staff member receives a positive RAT or PCR test, they need to:

record the positive result, if a RAT was taken, through the Service NSW websiteExternal link or Service NSW appExternal link– please add details of your child's school or early childhood education centre when prompted.

notify the school of the positive RAT or PCR test result as soon as possible.

Registering your child’s positive RAT with Service NSW is a requirement of the Public Health Order and helps NSW Health track COVID-19 in schools and address any public health issues early on if required.

Negative results do not need to be reported to Service NSW or to the school.

In line with the National Cabinet announcement on 31 August 2022, in mainstream school settings, including boarding schools, all staff, students and visitors who have tested positive to COVID-19 must:  

complete 5 days of isolation from the date they tested positive

be symptom-free before returning to school, if symptoms remain after Day 5 they must continue following NSW Health guidelines to self-isolate and undertake a rapid antigen test

complete a rapid antigen test (RAT) and return a negative result before attending school on Days 6 and 7 after testing positive to COVID-19, and

wear a mask on Days 6 and 7 when attending school (for all staff and those students 12 years and older).

Staff and students may use the RAT kits supplied to them by their school at the beginning of Term 3 for the purpose of testing before attending school on Days 6 and 7 when released from isolation and symptom-free. If you require additional RAT kits for this purpose please get in touch with your school’s front office who can provide or organise additional kits. 

Due to the higher risk associated with some school settings and activities, the 7-day isolation period will remain for staff, students and visitors who have tested positive to COVID-19 in: 

schools for specific purposes (SSPs) 

support units 

assisted transport 

overnight excursions. 

Staff, students and visitors may return to these higher risk settings after isolating for 7 days from the date they tested positive if they are symptom-free on their seventh day of isolation.

Schools will inform their community when there is a positive case in the school and guide families on NSW Health advice, including monitoring for symptoms.

For more information, including COVID-19 guidelines and fact sheets, refer to People who tested positive or were exposed to COVID-19External link.

Visitors on school grounds

Schools and early childhood education services can invite visitors – including parents, carers and families – to their sites regardless of their vaccination status, in line with settings in the broader community.

All visitors are strongly encouraged to wear a mask, particularly in indoor settings or when distancing is not possible, and when interacting directly with students.

Visitors to schools for specific purposes (SSPs) and support units, including workers and volunteers, must wear a mask if they are interacting directly with students.

Visitors must also comply with the household and close contacts in school procedures outlined above.

Events

Events, including school formals, graduations and end of year ceremonies, can proceed within the following guidelines:

Holding the event/gathering outdoors

If holding an event indoors:

consider separating your students into cohorts and encourage physical distancing where practicable
consider seating plans or separated areas to minimise mingling
limit the number of guests attending where possible
provide hygiene supplies (such as sanitiser) and encourage their use
masks are strongly encouraged for students, staff, visitors and volunteers in outdoor high-traffic spaces (such as selling or collecting tickets) or where physical distancing is not possible outdoors.

Schools, including external event organisers, should continue to apply layered COVID-smart measures as per the guidelines on this page when planning activities such as end-of-year celebrations like formals and graduations. It is also recommended to consider contingency plans in case COVID-smart measures change before the event/gathering.

Students who are identified as household or close contacts are required to follow the advice from NSW HealthExternal link and avoid large or crowded indoor gatherings.

Vaccinations

COVID-19 vaccination is the best protection against severe illness and reduces the risk of spreading it to others.

We strongly recommend all eligible students (and their families) who are 5 years and older get vaccinated against COVID-19, including booster vaccinations as they become available to different groups.

For more information on booster vaccinations, including eligibility and timing, please refer to NSW Health Booster vaccinationExternal link. To book an appointment near you, visit the Find a vaccine clinic websiteExternal link.

In line with the department’s policy regarding COVID-19 vaccination for employees, most department staff are no longer required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. The exception to this is for department staff working at or visiting schools for specific purposes (SSPs), who must be double vaccinated with an approved COVID-19 vaccine, or hold a valid medical contraindication – this includes corporate and department staff.

While vaccination against COVID-19 will no longer be mandated for most employees, the department strongly encourages all staff to continue to keep their vaccination status up to dateExternal link, as determined by ATAGI, as a key form of protection for their own health and to keep their school community safe if school-based.

Additionally, the ongoing pandemic and stay-at-home orders that were in place over the previous two years have resulted in some children and young people missing out on school-based non-COVID vaccination programs. NSW Health and the department would like to remind parents and carers to make sure their child’s vaccinations are up-to-date, including other, non-COVID vaccinations. Parents and carers who are unsure whether their child has missed any vaccinations should speak with their GP or refer to NSW Health’s Immunisation requirements in primary and secondary schoolsExternal link.

Parents and carers who have children with persistent or ongoing symptoms of COVID-19External link are encouraged to have these assessed by their local medical practitioner. These symptoms may be related to other illnesses that require treatment and management by a doctor.

Requirements for ATSOs and ASTP drivers

Assisted Travel Support Officers (ATSOs) and Assisted School Travel Program (ASTP) drivers are no longer bound by the Public Health Order for Care ServicesExternal link. ATSOs and ATSP drivers are required to have a minimum of 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine under the department’s vaccination policy.For more information refer to Vaccination requirements for school sites.

Masks

Masks are an effective way of minimising the transmission of respiratory diseases.

Masks are strongly encouraged for all students, staff and visitors to school sites while indoors, where physical distancing is not possible, and on public transport, particularly to and from school and camps/excursions.

Masks continue to be required for workers who support our students who are at greater risk of serious illness should they contract COVID-19, whether they be in schools for specific purpose (SSPs), support units or mainstream classrooms. This may include:

NDIS services

ATSP services – drivers and Assisted Travel Support Officers

education and/or support of a student in an SSP, support unit or mainstream setting where the student is dependent on the worker for mobility, health care, personal care, or constant supervision to minimise harm – including:

school learning support officers (SLSOs)

school counselling staff

learning and support teachers

early intervention staff

itinerant support teachers

assistant principals (hearing or vision)

assistant principals learning and support

support teachers transition

classroom teachers

allied health professionals engaged through the allied health pre-qualification scheme

attendant carers engaged through third-party providers.

In line with the latest advice from NSW HealthExternal link, masks are recommended for students and staff who have recovered from COVID-19, completed their 5-day isolation period in mainstream schools settings, including boarding schools, or 7-day isolation period for SSPs, support units, assisted travel and overnight excursions and are no longer showing symptoms for an additional 2 days.

Additionally, mask wearing when indoors is mandatory for staff and high school students returning to school as household/close contacts for 5 school days and recommended for primary school students returning to school as household/close contacts for 5 school days. Where students or staff are unable to wear a mask, they will be supported to learn or work remotely.

In certain circumstances NSW Health and the Department of Education may advise that certain COVID-smart measures be temporarily reintroduced at your school. Your principal will work with Health and the department and provide further details of any changes to COVID-smart measures at your school when required.

For more information, refer to Guidance on wearing face masksExternal link.

Ventilation

Fresh air is the most effective form of ventilation to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Where there is no natural ventilation, schools will use mechanical ventilation to maximise fresh airflow in learning spaces. Using outdoor spaces will continue to be encouraged.

With the possibility of low air quality due to smoke in the warmer months, the department has advised that schools should follow the advice of relevant authorities, depending on their specific environmental circumstances.

For more information, refer to Ventilation.

Additional information for Assisted Travel School Officers

Drivers and Assisted Travel School Officers will be ensuring adequate ventilation is provided in vehicles through a combination of window and air-conditioning use.

Hygiene and cleaning 

Students and staff are encouraged to wash their hands regularly with soap and water.

Schools will use boosted day cleaning processes throughout Term 3. Target areas include high-touch areas, hard surfaces, door handles, lockers, light switches and handrails in stairways and areas where students and staff move through regularly.

Community use of school sites

Updated 2:30 pm 30 August 2022

Community use of school sites under community use agreements are permitted. This includes:

community sports
playgroups
schools as community centres
dance or drama groups
Parent and Citizens Association activities.

The school should have plans in place to avoid interaction between the community users and school students and staff.

Community use of school sites should use outdoor spaces and be held after hours where possible.

Community use of school sites should follow all relevant NSW Government rulesExternal link.

A Community Use Acknowledgement (PDF 190 KB) must be in place.

Community users do not need to be vaccinated, unless required by their organisation. Parents, carers and other visitors participating do not need to be vaccinated.

Community users during school hours must also sign in as visitors as per the school’s usual sign in procedures.

Parents and Citizens (P&C) Associations

P&C Association meetings, operations and activities are permitted on school sites with approval from the principal. P&C Association employees, volunteers and attendees do not need to be vaccinated, per current advice from NSW Health.

P&C Association meetings and operations such as canteens, uniforms shops and OSHC held on school sites will need to ensure that they follow current COVID-19 safety requirements, as specified by the NSW Department of Education and NSW Government. The P&C Association is not required to have a COVID-19 Safety Plan for meetings and should follow the requirements of the school. Alternative arrangements can be made by the P&C organiser if they are unable to meet on the school site.

P&C Association activities requiring a Community Use Agreement are subject to requirements outlined in the Community use of school sites section above. P&C organisers and attendees must:

Wear a mask if interacting directly with students at greater risk of severe illness if they were to contract COVID-19
Household or close contact requirements will apply.
- Notify the school if they are a household or close contact in mainstream schools.
- Not allowed on SSP or support units if they are a household or close contact.
Conduct a rapid antigen test and record a negative result before attending schools as a household or close contact (mainstream schools only).

Language schools that operate on school sites

Community languages schools are allowed to operate on school sites, with a Community Use Acknowledgement (PDF 190 KB) .

For additional support, check COVID-19 Business rules in NSWExternal link for hospitality or complete an optional Hospitality COVID-19 Safety PlanExternal link.

Reducing the risk of illness

All students, staff and their families should follow NSW Health’s advice to reduce the risk of not only COVID-19 but also other viral illnesses that may affect schools. Schools should reinforce the following NSW Health messages with their communities:

Stay home if unwell or showing even the mildest of symptoms

Keep up to date with vaccinations – including COVID-19 booster shots anthe flu vaccine, which areis available from your local GP, pharmacy or Aboriginal Medical Service

Get tested immediately for COVID-19 if you become symptomatic and isolate until you receive a negative result and are symptom free

Practice good hand hygiene by washing regularly with soap and warm water

Take a RAT before visiting vulnerable loved ones or going to large gatherings and events.

Specific activities

Guidelines have been provided to schools on how to assess activities with a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 and apply appropriate safeguards.

Parents and carers will be made aware of those risks and will need to give their permission for participation in extra-curricular, out-of-school hours or off-site activities.

Learning from home

Where face-to-face learning is not possible, learning from home options will be supported for short periods.

Last updated: 07-Oct-2022

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