Updated COVID Close Contact Guidelines

Changes have been made to the Close Contact guidelines:

Staff and students who are close contacts and have NO symptoms may continue to attend school if they follow the guidelines below:

Notify the College that they are a close contact and will be attending school following these guidelines -

  • Conduct a daily rapid antigen test (RAT) and return a negative result each morning before attending school for 5 school days.
  • Secondary school students must wear a mask indoors (except when eating or exercising).

Masks and RAT kits for student use can be provided by the College, if required.

Please note:

  • No student or staff member identified as a close contact will be permitted to participate in overnight excursions, including school camps.
  • No apprentices, trainees or students on placement or staff member identified as a close contact will be permitted to attend settings identified as high risk by NSW Health (healthcare, aged care, disability care or correctional facilities)
  • Any visitor to the College who is a close contact is required to advise the College that they are a close contact before they come on site. These visitors should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result before attending. They must also wear a mask indoors at all times.

Remember: staff and students cannot attend school if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19. If symptoms occur at any time, students should not attend school and should undertake a rapid antigen test (RAT).

Outside of these necessary isolations students are expected to attend school every day unless they are otherwise unwell or have a different justifiable reason.

Positive COVID Cases
If a student or staff member receives a positive RAT or PCR test, they need to:

  • Record the positive result through the Service NSW website or Service NSW app – please add details of St Paul’s when prompted
  • Notify the school of the positive RAT or PCR test result as soon as possible and
    follow NSW Health advice to isolate for 7 days.

Masks

Masks are not mandatory for staff and students in high schools. Staff and students will be supported to wear a mask if they choose to do so. Mask wearing is mandatory for staff and high school students returning to school as close contacts for 5 school days. Where students or staff are unable to wear a mask, they will be supported to learn or work remotely.

Remember: masks continue to be mandatory on public transport. This applies to students aged 12 years and older, and staff when travelling to and from school and during school excursions by public transport or by chartered transport services.