COVID Safe Rules Update – Masks to go, RAT’s to continue

Dear Families,

The Victorian Government announced on Tuesday, 22 February an easing of some COVID Safe rules as follows:

Effective from 11.59pm Friday, 25 February, in education settings face masks will only be required indoors in limited circumstances.
This includes;

• students in Year 3 and above at primary school.
• workers at early childhood centres and primary schools; and
• for anyone on public transport, in taxis or rideshare services.

Premier Andrews has said that masks are still required for primary school children in grades three to six because the vaccination rate is still too low. Therefore, as of Monday, Trinity College students will not be required to wear masks in the school setting. They will still be required to wear masks on public transport, which includes buses to and from school, and on buses for school excursions. For this reason, we ask that students store a spare mask in their bag or locker.

We encourage and support students and staff who may choose to continue to wear masks, particularly in settings where social distancing is difficult and will continue to promote good hygiene practices, sanitise high traffic areas, ventilate classrooms and work areas and utilise air purifiers throughout the school.

The government has issued the College with a new round of Rapid Antigen Tests and these will be distributed in homerooms next week. The expectation that all students and staff test twice weekly continues until the end of Term.

We have had numerous cases of students, family members and staff contracting COVID-19 this past month and having to isolate for at least 7 days. We thank you for your vigilance in this regard and ask that you continue to monitor for symptoms and test regularly.

We also ask that any student or staff member displaying symptoms of COVID-19 stay home until the symptoms subside. We have issued the following advice regularly as guidance should anyone in your household test positive to COVID-19 and these expectations continue:

• Close contacts must return a negative test on Day 6 of isolation to be cleared to return to school.
• Where students are well enough, they can log into Microsoft Teams on their school device to access schoolwork. Teachers have work prepared to ensure that learning continues while students are absent from school and will share class information and tasks with students through Teams and student digital notebooks. Teachers invite and encourage students to communicate with them about their schoolwork directly through their class Team Chat.
• Student class attendance requirements will not be affected by COVID isolation and quarantine absences.
• Students who show symptoms of COVID-19 cannot attend school and should test immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result and symptoms subside.

• Student should continue with twice-a-week rapid antigen testing on school days.
• Students who have recovered from COVID-19 do not need to participate in surveillance testing for 30 days after their isolation period has ended.

For information on symptoms visit: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/symptoms-and-risks.

For more information on how to get tested visit: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/taking-test-covid-19.

If your child returns a positive result, you must:

• Quarantine your child for seven days.
• Inform the school about the positive result.
• Your child must stay home until their symptoms have resolved and they are well.

Everyone in your household is a close contact and must isolate for 7 days unless they are covered by a workplace exemption as per the Victorian Government guidelines.

Reporting your child’s positive test

If your child was at school when they were infectious you need to report the positive case to the school by phone.

You must also report your child’s positive test to the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.

Financial support available to people affected by COVID-19:

For more information, visit:

Financial and other support for COVID-19 | Coronavirus Victoria

If you need a payment during coronavirus (COVID-19) – Getting help during coronavirus (COVID-19) – Services Australia

General advice and support

Advice and further resources about what to do if you test positive to COVID-19, or you have been told you are a contact, are at: Your COVID Checklist | Coronavirus Victoria, or call the 24/7 Coronavirus hotline on: 1800 675 398

You can also contact the school:

• Phone: 5233 9200
• Email: principal@tcc.vic.edu.au

Yours sincerely

Paul Clohesy

Principal