This information is updated since yesterday.

Positive Case Update

It has been pointed out to me that NOT knowing the classes where the positive COVID cases are situated is causing some stress. Of course this is not our intention so for now I will give that information in a COVID update.

Currently we have 3 positive cases and they are in Spaces 12, 6 and 4.

Sick Children Being Sent Home

It’s incredibly frustrating for whānau when school rings to ask for them to pick up a child who exhibits the symptoms below. Children need to be symptom free for 48 hours even if they have had a negative test.

• Children with runny noses, coughs etc spread to other children. Their families are then affected and they need to stay at home until symptom free for 48 hours.

• It also impacts on our staff, who also have to abide by the same rules. With teachers having to stand down for at least 48 hours begins to impact on the reliever pool when we need relievers for staff isolating. Some schools are already reporting a shortage of relievers.

• If we don’t have staff for classes we will have to close the whole class therefore everyone in that class will be at home.

If we are sending your tamariki home we will provide a hardpack and or workspaces.

This is from the Ministry of Education- “It’s important that anyone with symptoms remain at home until they are symptom-free for at least 48 hours."

• A new or worsening cough

• Sneezing and runny nose

• A fever

• Temporary loss of smell or altered sense of taste

• Sore throat

• Shortness of breath

Less common symptoms include diarrhoea, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, malaise, chest pain, abdominal pain, joint pain, or confusion/irritability.

Who is a Household Contact – from Covid-19 website

You are a Household Contact if you live with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

A Household Contact is considered to be someone who:

· shares a house or flat on a permanent or part-time basis (for example, shared custody) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and

· has spent at least 1 night or day in that residence while the case was infectious.

These people are not considered Household Contacts, but may be Close Contacts:

· People who live in the same group accommodation as the person with COVID-19 (for example, in aged residential care facilities, halls of residences, boarding houses, hostels, backpackers, and transitional housing).

· Partners who do not live with the person who has COVID-19 but may have spent a night together.