Executive Director’s Update to Principals #23: COVID Update - 9 September 2022
God who loves those we love,
God who loves those we don’t;
it is easy to empathise
with people who behave as we do, and face what we fear.
But when the us means those who seem part of the problem, our Christ-like compassion is tested. Can our us include those who take short-sighted decisions? Can our we mean those
who put others at risk?
Can this community extend to those whose actions threaten the whole? We pray that it can,
because it already does.
Your compassion has included us all.
Amen.
Change to COVID-19 Isolation Rules Effective 9 September 2022
The Victorian Government, in step with the National Cabinet, announced changes to isolation rules for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Those changes come in to effect today, Friday 9 September 2022. CECV is working with the Department of Education to ensure alignment in communications and any amendment to the School Operations Guide; we will share the updated advice with schools as soon as it is available.
In the interim, schools can refer to the updated resource https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/, which notes:
Report your result and isolate for at least 5 days.
If you tested positive using a rapid antigen test, you must report your result to the Department of Health online, or by calling 1800 675 398. You don’t need to report your result if you tested positive from a PCR test.
Your isolation period begins on the day you took your positive test.
How long your isolation period goes for depends on whether you have symptoms, which include a fever, sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath.
If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you must isolate for at least 5 days from the date you took your rapid antigen test or PCR test. For example, if you took your test on Monday, you can leave isolation on Saturday if you have no symptoms.
You must isolate whether you have COVID-19 symptoms or not.
When you may leave isolation.
If you are in your 6th day of isolation and you have symptoms – no matter how mild – then you must continue to isolate. If you have a sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath, you may still be infectious and you may infect others with COVID-19.
If you have no symptoms on the 6th day of isolation, you are free to leave isolation on that same day. You do not need to take a test to leave isolation. For example, if you tested positive on a Monday, you may leave isolation any time the following Saturday.
If you are in your 7th day of isolation and you have symptoms – no matter how mild – then you must continue to isolate. If you have a sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath, you may still be infectious and you may infect others with COVID-19.
If you have no symptoms on the 7th day you are free to leave isolation on that same day. You do not need to take a test to leave isolation. For example, if you tested positive on a Monday, you can leave isolation any time the following Sunday.
If you leave isolation after 5 days, there are important rules you must follow for those two days:
- you cannot visit a hospital or aged care facility
- you cannot attend work at a hospital, residential aged care facility, disability care facility and in-home care premises (including disability and aged care in the home).
For more information about isolation rules for COVID cases click here: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases
Next COVID Update
We would like to acknowledge the outstanding effort you have made as leaders within your schools 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-19 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