Health Update: Novel Coronavirus

Update advice for Parents – 2 February 2020

Current advice from the Australian Government Department of Health for parents in regards to the Novel Coronavirus is:

• Any student and staff arriving in Australia from 1 February 2020 who has been in mainland China or transited through mainland China (not just Hubei province) is excluded from school and child care services for a period of 14 days from the date they left mainland China as the Novel Coronavirus’ incubation period can be as long as two weeks.   
• Any confirmed case of Novel Coronavirus will be excluded until they are medically cleared to return
• Close contact of a confirmed case of Novel Coronavirus will be excluded for 14 days since last contact with the confirmed case. 
• Any student and staff arriving before 1 February our previous advice remains that students and staff who were in Hubei province are excluded from school or child care services for 14 days, and those who were in the rest of China are requested not to not attend school or child care services for a period of 14 days after leaving China.
• More information can be found at NSW Health.

Students who returned to Australia from mainland China more than 14 days ago and have shown no symptoms are able to return to school.

The Ministry of Health has processes in place to identify any close contacts of cases confirmed in Australia. Advice about not attending school would be provided to these close contacts by the Ministry of Health.

There has been a small number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in NSW.

Consistent with current guidelines, staff and students who are unwell with respiratory illness should remain at home until symptoms resolve. In accordance with our current practice if any child becomes unwell we will implement our infection control guidelines and follow the advice provided by the Ministry of Health as appropriate.

The Department of Education will continue to work with the Ministry of Health to monitor and respond to the unfolding international novel coronavirus situation.