As we welcome students and staff back for Term 2 we also have some important changes in relation to how we manage and respond to COVID-19 infections and close contacts.
From 12:01am Friday 29 April the mask mandate has been lifted. Although no longer mandated, individuals should feel comfortable wearing a mask if they choose, and we expect that our community will continue to welcome this.
In a school setting, particularly in classrooms, and where social distancing is more difficult, we encourage staff and students to wear masks.
Close Contacts:
In effect, only two groups of people will have to isolate from Friday:
people with COVID-19, and
close contacts with symptoms.
If you’re a close contact but symptom-free the following remains in place. For the seven days you would have been in isolation, you can leave the house but only if you:
- take a RAT daily and returned a negative result
- wear a mask when not at home
- avoid high risk settings (like hospitals and aged care facilities) and
- avoid non-essential gatherings and people vulnerable to the virus.
For anyone aged 12 and over, they will still have to wear a mask in places like:
- public transport, including buses to and from school, taxis and rideshare vehicles
- airports
- hospitals
- aged and disability care facilities
- correctional facilities
It is possible that with these changes there might be more COVID-19 cases and that this may impact critical worker shortages and reduced school participation.
We appreciate that parents will continue to inform us of their child’s health status, and if COVID-19 related we would ask that parents inform us of the date they were confirmed COVID-19 positive or a close contact so that we can keep accurate records for when they need to return to school.
With updated close contact definitions in place, a child will no longer be identified as a close contact via a school contact. Any child who becomes symptomatic should stay home and be tested for COVID-19.
Please continue to refer to healthywa.wa.gov.au for information on close contact definition, testing and isolation requirements.
The easing of restrictions has meant some of our school activities can resume this term, and we will provide more information on the requirements and COVID‑19 considerations for each activity as they arise on the school calendar.
Yours sincerely,
DOMENIC CAMERA
PRINCIPAL
28 April 2022
