Covid-19 Student Update

We welcome the further easing of COVID restrictions as Victoria achieves the 90% double-dose vaccination milestone.

We have actively reviewed our COVIDSafe protocols at SWTAFE and continue to take a precautionary approach in prioritising the health, safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and their families.

Victoria reaches 90% full vaccination – what this means for SWTAFE

For Victoria’s TAFEs and other training and adult education providers, all learning and training activities can be delivered onsite to fully vaccinated students. 

Students
In following Government protocols students must provide evidence of full vaccination (or exemption) once, prior to their first attendance onsite.  This information must be collected, recorded, and held by SWTAFE.

Staff
In line with the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Workers) Directions No.8, higher education workers must provide evidence to their employer that they are fully vaccinated or have a valid medical exemption to work onsite.

Visitors
All other visitors (over the age of 12) attending onsite will need to show evidence they are fully vaccinated (or are exempt) each time they enter a SWTAFE campus. COVID Marshalls will continue on-site to assist with monitoring vaccination status and COVIDSafe behaviours.

Which courses are now on-site, and which courses remain as remote learning?
Not all courses are back on campus.  Students should refer to their timetable for how/where their course is being delivered and seek direction from their teacher.

Changes to wearing of masks
While students and staff are no longer required to now wear masks, we strongly recommend wearing a mask if you can’t physically distance, have any symptoms, or if you are with people who may be vulnerable to COVID-19.

Students undertaking placements in high-risk settings such as hospitals, care and meat-processing facilities must follow the mask requirements in those settings.

Updated requirements for COVID case management at SWTAFE

In line with the Diagnosed Persons and Close Contacts Directions No.34, a person diagnosed with COVID-19 must notify SWTAFE if they attended a campus during their infectious period.  Staff should notify their manager, students should notify their teacher.

Following notification of a positive case, SWTAFE must take reasonable steps to notify staff or students that they may have been exposed to COVID-19; those contacts must undertake a standard PCR test within 24 hours of receiving the notification and must isolate until they receive a negative result. Staff and students who have been identified as a contact must then notify SWTAFE of their test result.  

Any staff or students who are identified as a contact can return onsite after they have provided evidence of a negative standard PCR test result to their manager or teacher.

Management of COVID cases and close contacts

The Victorian Government has also announced changes to isolation and quarantine requirements for people with COVID-19 and their contacts. People with COVID-19 must isolate at home for 10 days from the date of their positive test rather than 14 days. Any close contacts (household, house-like and outbreak contacts) must also quarantine at home for 7 days if they are fully vaccinated, and for 14 days if they are not fully vaccinated, following exposure.

A household contact is someone who lives with a person with a case of COVID-19 or has spent more than four hours with them in a house, accommodation, or care facility.

If you have COVID-19 you must tell SWTAFE that you have tested positive (along with any other contacts).

Non-household contacts (including other staff or students at SWTAFE) of a person with COVID-19 will be required to get a standard PCR test and isolate until they get a negative result.

In exceptional circumstances, the Department of Health may determine that a non-household contact in a significant outbreak is still required to isolate for 7 days or 14 days, depending on their vaccination status. In this scenario, any affected staff and students will be notified directly of any additional quarantine arrangements.

More information

For further information on current restrictions, visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au.  It is the single destination for all Victorian COVID-19 information and resources, including information about higher education, TAFE and training providers, apprentices and trainees, and health and wellbeing.

Next steps

As ever, we will continue to communicate with you as the situation evolves and if there are any changes to the TAFE setting.

Regards,

Mark Fidge
CEO