COVID 2022

With all the changes that are occurring, please find below the information and guidelines that are in place and that Thornlie Senior High School is following.

There are a few simple steps we can all follow to keep those around us safe. These include washing your hands and practising healthy hygiene, getting tested if you have symptoms, and getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Wearing a mask indoors is strongly encouraged.
 

COVID Positive

If your child tests positive to COVID-19, they must isolate at home. Positive RATs must be reported to healthywa.wa.gov.au/ratregister.

Please notify Thornlie SHS as soon as possible on 6235 7900 or thornlie.shs.admin@education.wa.edu.au. Staff will confirm your child’s return date to school and discuss which learning platform your child can use while in isolation. When isolating, if students are well they can continue working on their studies via Connect or if, no internet at home, then a work package can be organised for collection.

No exit testing or clearance is required to return to school once they have finished their 7-day isolation period and have no symptoms.

If you have recovered from COVID-19, you will not be identified as a close contact for 4 weeks following the positive test result. If you have symptoms, you should stay home until they resolve. For more information, visit HealthyWA.

Close Contacts

As WA has adopted the national definition of a close contact, schools no longer undertake contact tracing.
 
If your child is a close contact and has no symptoms, they must:
  • attend school
  • take a RAT every day for 7 days
  • wear a mask when they leave the house if they are 12 years and older, including at school.

Anyone who has symptoms or tests positive to COVID-19 must not attend school. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should take a RAT or PCR test and you must follow the guidelines for close contacts with symptoms.

Close Contact Information COVID19 Dept of Health

 

Reinfection Guidelines – Updated 11th July 2022

In line with new national health advice, Western Australia is updating its COVID-19 reinfection guidelines.
 
Previously, COVID-19 reinfection cases were defined as occurring more than 12 weeks following recovery from COVID-19. Given the detection of these new variants in WA, this period has been shortened to only four weeks after recovery.
 
This means that if you have had COVID-19, you should get tested and isolate if you have symptoms more than four weeks after recovering.
 
These updated guidelines also apply to close contacts. This means that you can now be declared a close contact four weeks after recovering.
If you are a close contact with no symptoms, you will not be required to complete seven days of isolation, provided you meet specific requirements.
 
More information on these requirements can be found at https://www.wa.gov.au/…/covid-19-coronavirus-what-do-if…
 

Further information –

Department of Education WA – Covid-19 information

WA Government – Testing and Isolation Guide – COVID-19 Coronavirus: Testing and isolation guide (www.wa.gov.au)

HealthyWA – COVID-19 Translated resources Coronavirus translated resources

Kind regards
 
Donna McDonald
Principal

17th July 2022