25 JanImportant update re RAT testing, new Vic COVID-safe Settings Guide, DET & ELAA COVID info forums
Dear ELAA member
With the Victorian School term starting next week please note the following important updates re management of COVID-19 in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Services.
Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for service staff (important, action required by services)
Yesterday evening, the Victorian Department of Education and Training (Vic DET) confirmed that under the Victorian Government’s Back-to-School and Early Childhood Education and Care Plan it will introduce a shift to voluntary twice-weekly surveillance rapid antigen testing for staff working in Vic ECEC services for at least the first 4 weeks of Term 1 2022.
The twice-a-week testing will be voluntary but strongly recommended for early childhood education and care staff in sessional kindergarten, long day care, family day care, occasional care and outside school hours care. This includes teachers and educators but should also include other staff employed by the service, who are working at the service.
The Victorian Government will supply the rapid antigen tests direct to ECEC service sites and family day care providers as quickly as possible. Please monitor the email address entered as your ‘Service Email’ in NQAITS, as updates on delivery of rapid antigen tests will be sent to this address. Delivery to the NQAITS-listed service street address is expected to commence from Thursday 27 January so it is important that someone from your service is monitoring the emails from Vic DET and makes arrangements to be at your centre on the day of delivery.
Further information on delivery and use of Rapid Antigen Test can be found by CLICKING HERE.
Updated advice from Vic DET
In case you missed the updated Vic DET advice from yesterday evening please note that it includes updated advice re:
- twice weekly voluntary free rapid antigen testing for service staff
- masks
- contact tracing and management changes
- WorkSafe Reporting
- required third dose vaccination to be on site at education settings
- updated COVIDSafe ECEC Settings Guide
- kindergarten funding operating requirements
- ventilation fact sheets
- vaccinations for 5-year-olds
- COVIDSafe Plans
COVID-19 management information webinars
Vic DET webinar 28 January
Vic DET will be running an ECEC provider webinar to be held on Friday 28 January 2022 at 1.30pm. An invitation will be forwarded direct to providers listed email address in NQAITS.
ELAA member only webinar 2 February
This ELAA member only COVID-19 information forum will provide ELAA members with an opportunity to hear current updates from the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET).
This information session will cover:
- latest COVID-19 advice for Victorian-funded ECEC programs
- latest COVID-19 advice for Federally-funded ECEC programs
- answers to frequently asked COVID-19 operational questions
- Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT)
- mandatory ‘booster’ third-dose vaccination for the ECEC workforce
- understanding the ‘critical worker’ exemption
- latest COVID-safe operational measures.
When: Feb 2, 2022 at 2:00 PM
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GppGTz7MQIyQuVsvdha76Q
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Regards
Megan O’Connell
Director – Member and Advocacy Services
