11 May 2020
Increased focus on health and hygiene as schools return
Good personal hand hygiene, including hand washing, is one of the measures being enforced as ACT public schools return to the classroom.
When ACT public school students return to classroom from Monday 18 May, there will be a strong focus on ensuring good health and hygiene practises are in place to help preventing the spread of COVID-19.
This return will be carefully managed and staged over three weeks to ensure our students, teachers and staff are safe and our schools are fully prepared to have the appropriate measures in place, based on advice from the ACT Chief Health Officer.
Schools have stocked up on soap, hand sanitiser and paper towels and all students and staff will be regularly reminded to wash their hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
Hand sanitiser will be available at prominent positions in every school and there will also be a focus on other hygiene measures including encourage everyone to cough into elbows or a tissue, placing used tissues in bins, avoiding touching eyes, noses or mouths, no sharing food or drink, not using water fountains or bubblers directly, as well as hygiene measures in the preparation of food products.
Physical distancing measures will be implemented for adults in ACT public schools. This will include limiting assemblies, events, excursions and physical education programs that would bring large groups of staff and parents together for long periods of time. This may also involve separating these activities into single grades or classes depending on the size of the school.
Cleaning services will also be extended to deliver dedicated hygiene cleaning activities during each school day and an updated cleaning plan will be in place prior to resumption of face to face learning.
For more information about the ACT Government’s response to COVID-19, visit www.covid19.act.gov.au