The sun is shining in congratulations of a job well done by all of us. What a team! Let's continue to stay healthy over the winter months ahead.

The key changes for schools at Alert Level 1 are:

• Physical distancing is not a requirement but where possible or practicable is encouraged when you are around people you don’t know.
• There are no specific public health requirements.
• There are no restrictions on personal movement so all students, children and staff continue to be safe to go to school / early learning, and all students must attend school.
• You are no longer required to keep a contact tracing register but will continue with the usual practice of having a visitor and an attendance register (and will need to work with local health authorities to identify close contacts, should there be a case connected with the school).
• There are no restrictions on numbers at gatherings or on physical activities including cultural and sporting activities, practices and events.

There are key public health measures - Golden Rules - for everyone in New Zealand to follow. For schools and early learning services this means:

• If people are sick, they should stay home (phone Healthline or their GP and get tested if they have cold or flu symptoms).
• Continue to regularly wash and dry hands, sneeze and cough into elbows.
• Soap, water and the ability to dry hands should be provided in bathrooms.
• Regularly disinfect shared surfaces
• Stringent self-isolation of those who display relevant symptoms of COVID-19, test positive for COVID-19, have been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, or have been overseas in the last 14 days – Ministry of Health information for self-isolation.

At all levels, upon advice from the local medical officer of health, any educational facilities connected to a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 must close on an individual or group basis for 72 hours to allow contact tracing, and then potentially for a further 14 days.