You’ll be aware that New Zealand will move to a new, long-term approach to COVID-19. These changes have been made based on public health advice and reflect high levels of immunity and declining case numbers across New Zealand.

Kia ora

The two key changes impacting education providers are:

• The removal of the requirement for household contacts to isolate. Instead, they will be asked to test for COVID-19 for five days.

• Masks are no longer required on public transport or school transport and in line with other mask changes, they are no longer strongly recommended in school settings.

Positive cases remain legally required to isolate for seven days. Anyone who is symptomatic, including household contacts, should stay at home and get tested for COVID-19. 

The very positive news is that household contacts of a person with COVID-19 do not need to isolate, but instead are asked to complete a RAT test each day, for five days. Therefore, children who are household contacts but test negative and do not have COVID-19 symptoms, should continue to attend school. It is the best place for them to be so they can be engaged in their learning, and connected with their teachers, classmates and friends.

Information on how to get RAT kits can be found here: Request a RAT– Ministry of Health

Mask wearing is no longer required. We will support anyone who wishes to continue to wear a mask.

All the other recommended public health measures will stay in place as we know they reduce the spread of infectious illnesses including COVID-19. These include ensuring our indoor spaces are well-ventilated, maintaining good hand hygiene, encouraging everyone to cough or sneeze into elbows and, most importantly, staying home and getting tested if they have COVID-19 symptoms.

We look forward to welcoming parents/caregivers back into classrooms before and after school and getting our regular celebration assemblies underway as soon as possible.

Thank you for your ongoing support in protecting our community.

Noho ora mai

STEPHEN HARRISON
Principal