09 Feb 2022
Good morning Parents and Caregivers,
I am making contact just to update the community around cases in our school and the support we are providing for students who are testing positive, and for students who are isolating due to being close contacts.
We have had a small number of cases across all stages at school. Currently those students are at home recovering, and I would like to thank those parents specifically for letting us know in a timely manner and supporting in keeping our community safe. This was to be expected and I am very happy to say that numbers are a lot lower than I was predicting at this stage. Obviously, due to confidentiality I am not in a position to publish exact numbers or names of students. Please if you have any questions about cases at school, or you would like some clarification just call me on the school number.
Can I just remind our community that while testing and isolation is no longer mandatory for exposures in school settings, NSW Health has provided advice on testing and isolation recommendations (External link) for the community following exposure to COVID-19 that should be considered when making decisions for your child and family.
Please be mindful that staff and students cannot attend school if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19. These include fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of smell/taste, muscle/joint pains, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting, extreme tiredness, unexplained chest pain or conjunctivitis (eye infection).
If symptoms occur at any time, you should not attend school and should undertake a rapid antigen test. If a rapid antigen test is positive you/your child should isolate as someone who has tested positive to COVID-19 (External link). If you cannot access a rapid antigen test, you can attend a PCR (nose and throat swab) testing clinic.
Advice and further resources are available on the NSW Health website including COVID-19 guidelines and fact sheets for People who tested positive or were exposed to COVID-19External link. Additional resources are also available on the NSW Government (External link) website.
I don’t want to alarm our community by corresponding this information because I am confident, that as a school, we have the situation well and truly under control. However, if cases do rise in a specific year cohort, stage, or with a group of students, I will communicate to families who need to know in these instances. Thank you all again for your amazing and unwavering support in managing our current situation.
Take care
Mark Snedden
Principal Kotara High School
Wednesday, February 9, 2022.