Executive Director’s Update to Principals #17: COVID Update - 16 March 2022
God of the one and God of the whole,
be with those who are working from home today and those whose work keeps them from home.
Be with those who won’t go beyond the front veranda, and those who stay on the front line.
Be with those who must choose between
doing a job they know they can do
and being the parent only they can be.
May we each in our private worry
hear your universal call
to come, to lay down heavy burdens,
and find a welcome rest.
And then with our burdens lightened,
may we help to hold the whole.
Amen.
Rapid Antigen Test Kits - Distribution issues
We have been alerted to an issue with the delivery of RAT kits to some schools; some schools have received an oversupply of RATs.
- If your school received double the amount required for the next two weeks, you should keep them as your supply for the remainder of the term.
- If you have received more than double DET will arrange to collect them and redistribute them.
DET have identified a data issue at the distribution center and will contact those schools directly today.
Unfortunately, consequently some deliveries were stalled at the end of last week and commenced again only yesterday. We have been told to anticipate delivery for supply for the next 2 weeks tin the next few days.
We acknowledge the continued challenges of managing the distribution for our schools. Likely, many families will have additional reserves given that there is a spare for every 2-week pack provided.
COVID-19 vaccination booster deadline reminder
A reminder of the vaccination booster deadlines prescribed for all education workers under the pandemic COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specified Facilities) Order.
All DOBCEL employees, and contractors or volunteers engaged by a DOBCEL school, must show evidence of their vaccination status (boosted, medical exemption, or temporarily excepted per the Orders) to their principal or their delegate before 25 March 2022.
If an education worker is temporarily excepted, has a current medical exemption, or does not meet the mandated vaccination requirements the principal/their delegate must confirm the details according to the provisions of the Order, before 25 March to determine whether the individual can be permitted to remain onsite for work purposes.
Details of the circumstances should be recorded on your local register. Seek advice from your Education Consultant or CEB (Catholic Education Ballarat) Human Resources as required.
Obligation to collect, record and hold vaccination information
The pandemic COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specified Facilities) Order obliges employers and operators of education facilities to collect, record and hold vaccination information in keeping with the mandatory vaccination requirements set out in the Order.
Therefore, each school, and CEB, must maintain a local register with details of the vaccination status for each staff member.
This must include the worker’s name, vaccination status, and date they became fully vaccinated (boosted), or if exempt the period of the exemption.
Employers may be required to produce this record or register if asked by an Authorised Officer (e.g., WorkSafe or Department of Health official) as evidence of compliance with the Order. This should be a record maintained by the employer, such as the template register shared in COVID Update #10 (Wednesday, 16 February 2022).
Additionally, the employee can self-report their vaccination status on the CEVN PRS (Personnel Record System) ensuring DOBCEL and/or CECV can report deidentified compliance information to DET, DH or another Authorised Officer if required.
Booster evidence requirements for Principals
A gentle reminder to satisfy the obligation to provide evidence of being fully vaccinated – boosted before the deadline of 25 March 2022. All DOBCEL principals are required to email their vaccination information to covid@dobcel.catholic.edu.au.
Accepted evidence is a copy of a digital COVID vaccination certificate (Service Victoria app or smartphone wallet), a scanned copy of a printed certificate, immunisation history statement or exemption.
If you have an eligible exception for this booster deadline, please email this information to covid@dobcel.catholic.edu.au.
CEB will maintain a secure and confidential register of the required vaccination information as prescribed by the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specified Facilities) Order.
Should you have questions about this request please speak with your Education Consultant, or Ange.
Next COVID Update
We would like to acknowledge the outstanding effort you have made as leaders within your schools over the past four weeks to ensure that our schools have remained open for face-to-face learning and teaching. Many thanks for all you are doing to keep our schools safe.
We will continue to monitor the situation and advise principals of any updates. Please liaise with the COVID Support team (see left hand column) or your Education Consultant with any questions or concerns.
Stay safe and continue to look after each other…
Every blessing.
Ange Jones
Assistant Director: People and Development