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COVID-19 Update

Students can collect free Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) on campus

To help keep Western Australians safe during the winter respiratory illness season, TAFE students and staff can now collect up to 20 free Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) on campus.

Offered through the State Government’s Free RAT Program, the free RATs are available at your campus front reception desk while stocks last.

The RATs are packed individually, so it’s a good idea to bring a bag to collect them.

 

Remember!

RATs are a quick and convenient way to detect COVID-19 as it happens and to help you protect yourself and others.

It is possible to be re-infected with COVID-19, so keeping RATs at home is recommended in case you start to feel unwell and need to get tested.

It is important to remember that close contacts with no symptoms can leave isolation if they complete a daily RAT (and receive a negative result), wear a mask when outside the home, and avoid high-risk settings.

It is mandatory for people who return a positive RAT to register their result online (external link) with the Department of Health. Those who do not have access to the online registration system must still report their positive test result by contacting 13 COVID (13 26843).

 

Want more information?

Information and advice on the COVID-19 coronavirus is available on the WA.gov.au website.

For TAFE enquiries, please contact your front reception staff.

Changes to COVID-19 mandatory vaccination policy

On 1 June 2022, the Premier announced a phasing out of WA’s COVID-19 public health measures including changes to the mandatory vaccination policy for workers.

The changes mean that from Friday 10 June 2022 the majority of Western Australian workers will no longer need to be vaccinated to attend previously mandated workplaces.

However, workers in the following sectors must still be triple dose vaccinated to be able to enter their workplace:

  • Healthcare and health support workers in hospitals and primary health care settings
  • Workers in residential aged care
  • Workers in residential disability settings.

Students enrolled in courses that require them to undertake mandatory work placement with an employer in the above sectors must be triple dose vaccinated prior to their work placement.

These students will be asked to provide evidence ahead of their work placement. The evidence will be collected and stored securely.

If students do not supply evidence, they will not be able to undertake the work placement component of the course, which may prevent them from completing the course. 

Please note, this evidence may also need to be shown to an employer during work placement, if applicable.

Further details outlining the process to supply your evidence are available on the SR TAFE COVID-19 vaccination evidence page. 

Close contacts

WA has removed quarantine requirements for asymptomatic close contacts, students, lecturers, staff and visitors are reminded that for the five days following their designation as a close contact, they are allowed to leave the house provided they have no symptoms and they:

  • undertake daily Rapid Antigen Testing;
  • wear a mask outside the home;
  • avoid high-risk settings, including hospitals, health care settings, disability and aged care facilities and correctional facilities;
  • work from home, where possible; and
  • notify the college and their employer of their close contact status. 

What to do if you have COVID-19 or are a close contact (opens in a new tab) - on WA.gov.au

 

Important health information

COVID-19 reinfection period changed from 12 weeks to four weeks

With increasing cases of new COVID-19 variants spreading in the community, the chance of reinfection is now more likely.

For this reason, the window for potential reinfection of COVID-19 has been reduced from after 12 weeks to after four weeks (28 days) from recovering from an initial infection, based on the latest expert advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC).

This means that recovered COVID-19 cases are now required to test for COVID-19 after 28 days, if experiencing symptoms, and follow the relevant advice if they test positive.

For more information, see the State Government announcement.

 

Before attending campus

Please check the advice on exposure sites which are listed on the HealthyWA website 

If you feel unwell or have symptoms, you should go get tested immediately and isolate until you receive a negative result. Testing locations can be found online.

Hygiene products such as hand sanitiser are readily available at all TAFE campuses, and enhanced cleaning of high use areas is in operation.

Keep informed

Important service delivery and health information will continue to be distributed across campuses and to students and staff.

Students are asked to regularly check their emails for updates.

Support

If you wish to discuss your studies and wellbeing, contact Student Support Services

 

Mask wearing

Masks are no longer required at indoor venues including classrooms. Students and staff undertaking work placements in identified settings, including hospitals, aged care and disability care facilities, prisons and correctional facilities and airports, will need to continue to wear masks while at those facilities.

While masks are no longer mandatory, masks are encouraged where physical distancing isn’t possible and you may still wear a mask if you wish.

Students and staff using public transport or rideshares to get to campus must wear a mask while travelling.

For more information on the use of face masks please visit the Healthy WA website.

 

Proof of vaccination for entry to TAFE and live works

The proof of vaccination requirement has been removed for entry to all TAFE venues including our training restaurants and beauty therapy clinics.

 

General advice

Students are asked to continue good personal hygiene – wash your hands often with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

Campuses are being cleaned on a regular basis, and hand sanitiser is available across campuses in key locations. 

Students are encouraged to keep up to date with the latest information and health advice by visiting the WA Government website.

    Further information and assistance