COVID Update – Reducing the risk of illnesses this winter

COVID Update – Reducing the risk of illnesses this winter

NSW Health reports that there has been an increase in influenza activity across NSW, indicating an early commencement to the influenza season and a rapid increase in reported cases. In addition, they continue to report that COVID-19 transmission in the community remains significant.

We encourage all families to follow NSW Health’s advice to reduce the risk of all illnesses that may affect the SCEGGS community this winter, including COVID and the flu. We can all protect our loved ones and the community in general by:

  • staying home if unwell, sick or if you have any flu-like or COVID-like symptoms.
  • practising good hand hygiene by sanitising and/or washing hands regularly with soap and water.
  • practising good cough and sneeze etiquette by coughing and sneezing into your elbow or using a tissue and immediately disposing of it.
  • keeping up to date with vaccinations, including the flu vaccine. Until 30 June 2022, all NSW residents can access free flu shots from their GP or pharmacy.
  • testing immediately for COVID-19 if you have any symptoms and isolating until you receive a negative result.
  • taking a RAHT before visiting vulnerable loved ones or going to large gatherings and events. We would also ask all families to do a RAHT test on the morning of Wednesday 20 July before students return to school after the school holidays.

All students K-12 have been supplied with the last 5-pack of government-issued nasal RAHT tests during Form Time this week. Students should speak with their Form Teacher, or Year Co-ordinator in the Secondary School, if they have not yet received their 5-pack.

Please remember that staff and students cannot attend school if they are showing any symptoms of flu or COVID-19. If symptoms occur at any time, your daughter should not attend school and should undertake a rapid antigen test. Even if she tests negative on a RAHT, please keep her home for 24 hours and then test again. Even if multiple COVID tests (RAHT and/or PCR) come back negative for COVID-19, students should not return to school until all symptoms of the illness have gone.

Stay warm!

Holly Gyton
Deputy Head of School