I would like to again acknowledge and thank you for the ongoing support of our school community, especially as we move into the new very high caseload settings from today, Thursday, 10th March 2022, as announced by the State Government yesterday.
Catholic Education Western Australia continues to work closely with both the Department of Education and the Department of Health (WA Health) to ensure the safety of all students across Western Australia (WA).
The main change affecting your child in these new very high caseload settings is around the way different types of close contacts are able to quarantine. All other requirements are still in place. The additional close contact measures have been implemented following the latest advice of WA Health with a view to keeping schools open and continuing face-to-face learning for our students, while balancing this with the safety of students, staff and the school community.
Under the very high caseload setting, students who are asymptomatic close contacts, unless they are household close contacts, may:
- continue to attend school;
- attend care service centres;
- attend Outside School Hours Care (OSHC);
- attend school-based sporting, music, cultural training, practice or events that are organised by or take place at our school, and are held immediately before or after school; and
- travel directly between their usual place of residence and their school. Public transport should only be used if there are no other options available.
At all other times, asymptomatic close contacts should quarantine at home for 7 days and get tested, as per the requirements for close contacts, as follows;
- undertake a COVID-19 test on Day 1 and Day 6, if a PCR test; or
- undertake a COVID-19 test on Day 1 and on day 7, if a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).
These arrangements DO NOT APPLY to children who are household close contacts of a COVID-19 positive person or who are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. This means that if anyone in a child’s household is serving 7 days isolation because they are COVID-19 positive, the child must remain in quarantine and not attend school.
Students are considered close contacts if they are:
- A household member of a person with COVID-19 who has had contact with them during their infectious period.
- Someone who has had close interaction with a COVID-19 positive case during their infectious period, including:
-
- At least 15 minutes face to face contact where a mask was not worn by the exposed person and the person with COVID-19; or
- Greater than two hours within a small room or a classroom environment with a person with COVID-19 during their infectious period, where masks have been removed for this period by the exposed person and the person with COVID-19 (note: others wearing masks in this scenario would not be a considered a close contact); or
- Someone who is directed by WA Health that they are a close contact.
An asymptomatic person means they have no COVID-19 symptoms.
As noted above, if a member of your household is COVID-19 positive, then every member of the household is deemed as a household close contact, the testing and quarantine protocols apply and your child must not attend school. If your child is unwell, they should stay at home and get tested.
As a Catholic school our priority is always the health, safety and wellbeing of our students and all members of our broader community. For more information on the very high caseload protocols visit: https://www.wa.gov.au/government/announcements/very-high-caseload-settings-introduced-western-australia
Thank you for your understanding as we take the necessary steps to keep our school community safe.
If you have queries or concerns regarding your child please contact me. If you have health concerns, please contact WA Health on 1300 316 555 or at ncovcontact@health.wa.gov.au.
Leon Bolding
Principal