Executive Director’s Update to Principals #6: COVID Update - 31 January 2022

God of the desert and God of the garden, your son went into the wilderness.
And there he sat.
And there he prayed.
And there he dreamed of a life more abundant for others.
As we experience uncertain times, and sit with unanswerable questions,
may we sprout new thoughts for those less able to rest,
So that when we do leave this desert, we join others in a garden that thrives. 
Amen.

~ The Corrymeela Community

Have you received your delivery of RAT kits?

We are aware that while schools have started to receive their packages of Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits you may have received an insufficient number to cover the voluntary twice-weekly testing for your staff and student populations for weeks 1 and 2. 

CECV, via the Department of Education and Training (DET) expects that this should be resolved for 99% of schools by end of the day, Monday 31 January. 

Australia Post is delivering the packages and packages may arrive on different days for the one school.  This is happening state-wide for all schools. 

If have not received enough to support your staff and student populations to test twice weekly for the first four weeks of the term by 4.00 pm Monday, 31 January, please complete this Google Form to make it easier for us to collate and share this information with CECV for follow up.   

Testing and quarantine requirements following a COVID positive result

The Department of Health advises that a person who is re-exposed to COVID-19 within 30-days of their positive test result does not need to quarantine or test again.  The individual can continue to attend work, education, and sensitive settings in that 30-day period. 

This applies to voluntary rapid antigen testing (RAT) twice weekly in the first four weeks of school.  As the person may still be shedding the virus, a RAT is not required for that 30-day period from the date of their positive test result. 

Health Information Privacy

Staff should not ask students or each other about whether they have/have not undertaken a RAT test on any given day.  The tests are voluntary, and we are not monitoring results.   

Staff Vaccination Status

Please ensure all staff vaccination information is recorded into the PRS (CEVN) or eHR (ICON) per the Executive Director’s COVID Update #117  (2021) (10 November) to enable all DOBCEL and CECV reporting obligations to be met.   

We are concerned we do not have the latest or complete information and we cannot confirm that all staff in your school are compliant with the Mandatory Vaccination Directions. 

To check for your school, the vaccination reporting function in the Personnel Record System (PRS) is now operational. A quick video has been created by CECV that details the steps needed to run this report in PRS. The instructions required to run this report are available in the Quick Reference Guide – see steps 15 to 17. 

The Victorian Government requires all school staff to have received a third dose (or booster) of the COVID-19 vaccine by 25 February 2022, or 3 months and 2 weeks after their second dose. The PRS has been updated to enable this information to be recorded. 

School community communication templates for a COVID-19 exposure notification

We have adapted the templates provided from the Department of Education to support communication regarding exposure notification with your school community.  These templates can  be modified to suit your local context and include key communication information. Schools should send these communications out as soon as possible after you have been notified that a person/people with COVID-19 was on site at school.  

This pack includes: 

1. Letter from principal to families
2. Letter from principal to staff
3. School website and social media message (Contacting families via email, PAM or other direct channels is preferred instead of using social media). 

If you have any questions or issues, please contact your Education Consultant.  

COVID Safe Back-to-School Plan

We have received this PowerPoint from CECV, and while it is too late for start of the year staff meetings, it may be useful for meetings and information over the coming weeks.    

VICED COVID Portal

We have received confirmation this afternoon that the portal that was going to be available for parents to report confirmed cases to the school, the VICED COVID Portal, is not required for Catholic Schools.  

Schools should reinforce the preferred communication method for families to report positive cases. We will advise of system wide reporting requirements as they become clearer, but please keep a register of confirmed cases of staff and students in your school.  

School Operation Guide

The Department of Education has issued the next version of the School Operation Guide and we will share the CECV update as soon as it is available.  

Next COVID Update