The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has produced advice on minimising COVID-19 infections in schools.
In a statement, the AHPPC said its February report noted that more transmissible variants of the COVID-19 virus had emerged overseas.
“The rapid spread of such a variant, Delta, is currently being experienced in Australia,” it said.
“The Delta variant is highly transmissible with even short periods of contact indoors and, rarely but potentially, outdoors or through contact with contaminated surfaces.”
The AHPPC said Delta was likely to remain the dominant variant in Australia and its higher transmissibility was a potentially higher risk of transmission in schools and early childhood education and care centres.
“The same methods that have prevented the spread of COVID-19 so far will also prevent the spread of the Delta variant if applied consistently and with high compliance,” it said.
“We continue to emphasise the importance of COVID-Safe plans and principles being embedded in school operations.”
The Committee said if there were Delta cases in the community, a risk assessment would be undertaken by the jurisdiction to consider the measures that needed to be applied commensurate with the risk.
“The AHPPC recognises the serious impact school closures have on all children and the need for the response to be proportionate to the risk of transmission in the school setting,” it said.
“During closures, vulnerable students and children of essential workers need to have continued access to onsite education.”
The Committee said boarding schools needed plans in place to manage their response to different levels of COVID-19 disease in the community.
“If movement restrictions are in place, boarding school leaders should contact State or Territory Health Departments before changing living arrangements for students,” the AHPPC said.
More information on the AHPPC Statement can be accessed at this PS News link.
