Tuesday 8 February 2022
The Premier yesterday announced that high caseload protocols for schools and childcare settings will be introduced from Tuesday, February 8, to help manage the higher number of COVID-19 cases while minimising transmission of the virus on these sites. A specific school and early childhood and education centre close contact definition for a high caseload environment is now also in place.
The definition of close contact with a positive case in a school or childcare setting includes:
- face-to-face contact for 15 minutes or more with an infectious person, where a mask was not worn by the exposed person or the person with COVID-19;
- interaction for more than two hours in a small indoor space or interaction for more than two hours in a classroom environment with an infectious person, where masks have been removed for this period; or
- someone who is directed by WA Health that they are a close contact.
The following measures, which are in line with the high-load protocols, have been implemented at Quintilian to minimise the risk of COVID entering or being transmitted on school grounds:
- indoor face-to-face events will not be held;
- we will limit the mingling of groups;
- if necessary, parents are permitted on the school grounds for drop-off and pick-up, however parents are not permitted in classrooms;
- parents should not gather within the school grounds;
- all parent-teacher interviews will now occur online or over the phone;
- parents are asked to wear a mask if it is necessary to enter the school grounds.
We appreciate that these measures will have an impact on the social and community connections between parents and staff; however, the most important requirement is to maintain a safe learning environment at Quintilian School.
Please contact the school if you have any concerns.
Below are some great resources for talking to children about Covid-19:
Maggie Dent Podcast: How to talk to kids about coronavirus
Redcross: Talking to kids about COVID-19
Raising Children: Talking with children about isolation, quarantine or lockdown
