Covid19 Update

By: Simon Clarke | Posted: Sunday April 10, 2022

In the last two weeks we have seen an increase in numbers.  It as been noticable in a few class as half the class have been away but the vast majority of students have been household contacts.

I am confident that we will get through to the end of the term without any major interuptions.

Thank you to the staff for their ongoing perseverance and commitment to providing both in class and online learning programmes.  Thank you also to all of the families who have followed the guidlines and have done their bit in keeping everyone safe.

The Ministry of Health have issued updated guidelines.  Please note the last bullet point as this is new information and we have seen some confusion over this rule.

If you are considered a Household Contact you must follow these steps (whether you are vaccinated against COVID-19 or not):

  • Self-isolate from the day that the first person in your household receives their positive test result, until they complete their 7 days of self-isolation and are released.
  • When the first case in your house gets to days 3 and 7 of their isolation, you need to get tested using a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).
  • If symptoms develop at any stage, you need to get tested using a RAT.
  • Avoid or minimise contact with the person with COVID-19 as much as possible during your isolation period.
  • You can end your self-isolation on the same day as the first ‘case’ in the household, provided you have no new or worsening symptoms and your tests were negative.
  • Your isolation does not restart if additional members of your household are identified as cases during the first case’s isolation period.
  • After the initial isolation period ends there is a 10-day window during which no Household Contacts of the original case can be re-classified as Household Contacts. You only need to begin isolation again during these 10 days if you test positive yourself.
  • 10 days after the original isolation period ends the usual rules apply. If a new household member (not the original case) tests positive, they and all other Household Contacts (who have not yet become cases themselves) must isolate for 7 days.