Keeping our community well

The following information has been shared by the MOE in light of the move to Covid Level 2 on Monday 15 February.

1. Early Learning Services are open to everyone, and all children may attend.
At Alert Level 2 the disease is contained but there is still risk of community transmission. It is safe for children and staff to attend early learning as there will be appropriate measures in place, including for children and staff vulnerable to severe illness.

2. Learning will be onsite with distance learning offered in some circumstances.
Distance learning should be provided for those required to self-isolate, those individuals who health authorities have asked to stay away while waiting for a test result, or those choosing to remain at home because they are vulnerable to illness.

3. Services are not classified as gatherings and a range of events and activities can go ahead.
For most day to day activities at services, the rules for gatherings do not apply. Under the COVID-19 Public Health Response Order, services are exempted from physical distancing requirements when people are there to receive, provide, or support education services.

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. (This may affect our  Four Seasons Kindergarten Whanau Picnic scheduled for Friday 5 March if alert levels do not change)

4. Services will close for cleaning and contact tracing if there is a confirmed case who was infectious when at the service.
Your Director of Education will work closely with you and health authorities should this occur. Please contact your Ministry regional office if you hear of a confirmed case in your early learning community but haven’t been advised about it by health officials.

5. Face coverings are not required.
This includes vans provided to transport children and staff. Vans can be used to transport all children/tamariki, the van should be cleaned daily. Physical distancing of 1m between all adults involved in the pick-up/drop off is encouraged. Anyone who chooses to wear a face covering in any setting should be supported to do so.

6. Sick people must stay at home.
They should seek medical advice if they have COVID-like symptoms and get tested if advised to do so. If that person displays relevant symptoms of COVID-19, tests positive for COVID-19, or has been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, they must self-isolate.

7. You must have a contact tracing system in place.
This includes displaying QR code posters at your entrances, attendance register and visitor register.

8. Fundamental public health measures continue to apply at every alert level:
• Physical distancing for adults (not touching and not breathing on each other at Alert Level 2)
• Hand hygiene
• Cough and sneeze etiquette
• Regularly cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces.

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.
Some events may need to be cancelled or postponed when we are at Alert Level 2.