Dear colleagues,

As you may be aware, the situation regarding the emerging outbreak of novel coronavirus has continued to evolve.

The Commonwealth’s Chief Medical Officer and Victoria’s Chief Health Officer have this afternoon recommended a stronger precautionary approach to managing coronavirus for travellers returned from Hubei province.

This recommendation is that parents/guardians/carers of students should ensure that any returning student is isolated at home and should not attend school for 14 days:

• following exposure to any confirmed novel coronavirus case; or
• after leaving Hubei Province.

This same advice applies to any staff who have returned or are returning from Hubei province.

The Chief Health Officer’s current advice is that staff and students do not need to be isolated at home if they have recently travelled in other parts of China or other countries and are not showing any symptoms of the virus.

If you think a student or staff member is showing relevant symptoms, please ask the student’s parents/guardians/carers or the staff member to call the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to discuss further actions on 1300 651 160.

Schools should inform their staff, students and families of this new advice by providing a copy of the factsheet available here through your school’s communication channels with parents.

Translated versions of the factsheet will also be available shortly.

Additional advice and information on the steps to take can be found on the coronavirus web page which also includes advice on:

• continuity of learning for students who are not attending school
• international students and families hosting
• international travel
• maintaining good health hygiene at school
• health promotion posters and materials
• information, resources and contacts related to coronavirus.

Thank you for your continued support and work to ensure the health and wellbeing of your school community.

This new advice is based on the latest expert recommendations of the Commonwealth’s Chief Medical Officer and Victoria’s Chief Health Officer. Thank you for your cooperation in implementing these recommendations.

Dr David Howes
Deputy Secretary
School and Regional Services