Special Early Learning Bulletin 14 February 2021 |
Message from the Secretary for EducationKia ora koutou You will have heard today that a student at Papatoetoe High School and her parents, have tested positive for COVID-19. I am sure you will join me in sending best wishes to this family and to the school community. New Zealand’s COVID response has swung swiftly into action. Treating any new cases with an abundance of caution is part of that plan and therefore the decision has been made to move to Alert Level 3 in Auckland and Alert Level 2 for the remainder of New Zealand, from midnight tonight (14 February). Health authorities are quickly gathering more information about these latest cases and will review alert levels every 24 hours. A boundary will be put in place with travel out of the Auckland region. People who live in Auckland but are currently outside the region, will be allowed to return home. The process at the boundaries will be managed by MBIE. The media release from Health this afternoon lists contact tracing locations of interest for Auckland and Taranaki, and everyone who has been to one of these locations in the specified times or is displaying COVID-19 symptoms is being asked to self-isolate and call Healthline to arrange a test. Those who are considered close contacts will be self-isolating for a period of 14 days from their last contact with the confirmed cases and will be tested twice, prior to returning to school or work. Once tested, self-isolation should continue until test results have been received and even after a negative result, it’s important to monitor any symptoms for the next 14 days from exposure. While hoping it wouldn’t happen, we have been prepared for such an eventuality. The information below will help to remind you about the important things to do under the different alert levels. At Alert Level 3, early learning services remain open for those children who need to attend. Key staff are able to be onsite to support the roll out of your distance learning programme. Like this family has done, we all need to continue to do the right thing by following the advice of our health professionals and working together to stamp out community transmission. Staying home if feeling unwell, seeking advice about getting tested, washing hands regularly and scanning in using the NZ COVID Tracer App continue to support our ‘stamp it out’ approach. For the vast majority of Auckland kaiako and ākonga, teaching and learning will be remote over the next few days (hopefully no more). Of most importance at this time in the year is making connections with family and whānau and their tamariki; whatever your set up (and I know Tāmaki Makaurau teachers have done a lot to be prepared for this situation) being in virtually in touch, and making sure children are OK cannot be overestimated over the next 72 hours. Ministry Auckland staff will be working remotely and will be there to provide advice and support. We wanted to get this information out to you as soon as we could, after the Government had made its decisions. We will continue to update you over the coming days as new information becomes available and decisions are made. Please reach out to your local office if you need additional support to ensure the health and wellbeing of your children and your staff. And remember be kind and look after each other! Iona |
Changes to alert levelsFollowing the announcements this evening, Alert Level 3 in Auckland and Alert Level 2 for the remainder of New Zealand is to be put in place from midnight tonight, for 72 hours. However, in brief, we confirm the following will apply for both early learning services and schools: |
Alert Level 3 – Auckland RegionAlert Level 3 applies from midnight tonight: 1. Early Learning Services are open for children who need to attend 2. There is no such thing as an “essential service/business” at alert level 3 (only at alert level 4) 3. Bubbles will need to be put in place for those attending on-site 4. Early Learning Services are not classified as gatherings 5. Services will close for cleaning and contact tracing if there is a confirmed case who was infectious when at the service. 6. Testing remains a crucial component in preventing an outbreak. 7. Sick people must stay at home. 8. You must have a contact tracing system in place. 9. Fundamental public health measures continue to apply: 10. Your Ministry regional office team is available to provide support. |
Draft email for Auckland parents and caregiversYou may like to use the following text to communicate with parents and whānau: 14 February 2020 Kia ora koutou, Talofa lava There have been three confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Auckland. That means that where possible you should keep your children home from early learning for this period. We will be open for those of you who have no other options but to send your children to our service and we will have safety precautions in place to look after them. Although this is for a short period at this time we are activating our distance learning plan tomorrow morning, as we did when we have been in previous lock downs. First and foremost we want to stay connected to you and your tamariki. COVID-19 continues to be a factor we need to consider, and I assure you we have a robust plan and will do everything we need to for your children and your wider family and whānau. If the situation changes, we will be in touch again. Please contact us if you have any concerns or questions. Ngā mihi |
Alert Level 2 – All of New Zealand excluding Auckland regionAlert Level 2 applies from midnight tonight for 72 hours. 1. Early Learning Services are open to everyone, and all children may attend. 2. Learning will be onsite with distance learning offered in some circumstances. 3. Services are not classified as gatherings and a range of events and activities can go ahead. However as soon as your event or activity brings people onsite who are not there for education purposes, including parents and caregivers, then the rules for gatherings do apply. 4. Services will close for cleaning and contact tracing if there is a confirmed case who was infectious when at the service. 5. Face coverings are not required. 6. Sick people must stay at home. 7. You must have a contact tracing system in place. 8. Fundamental public health measures continue to apply at every alert level: 9. Think and plan carefully before you go ahead with any activity that brings a large number of children together and/or spectators are involved. 10. Your Ministry regional office team is available to provide support. |