Dear parents and carers,

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved the use of rapid antigen testing for home use from Monday 1 November.

The Department of Education and Training is currently working with the Department of Health to roll-out a state-wide program for any new COVID-19 exposures on school sites from Monday 15 November.  This program will help unvaccinated or partially vaccinated students to return to school as quickly as possible after being identified as a primary close contact (PCC) after a seven-day quarantine, instead of a 14-day quarantine.

We will have more information for parents and carers ahead of the statewide roll-out, including factsheets, web copy, video content and other materials to assist with the program.

How the rapid antigen testing program will work

The at-home rapid antigen testing program is an opt-in program for unvaccinated, or partially vaccinated, students. Our school will provide you with rapid antigen test kits. You do not need to buy these test kits.

Following an exposure at our school, you will be notified that your child (who is unvaccinated, or partially vaccinated) has been identified as primary close contact (PCC) of a confirmed COVID-19 case.

If you want to take part in the at-home rapid antigen testing program, your child must quarantine at home for seven days. On day six of quarantine, your child must get a standard (PCR) test at your local COVID-19 testing site. If the test is negative, you must provide the results to your child’s school, and your child can then return to school on day eight.

Students will then be required to return a negative rapid antigen test result each morning from days eight to 14 on school days, which must be reported to the school by 8:30am before they arrive at school.

Parents should continue to follow current school policy and public health advice. If your child is unwell, even with the mildest of symptoms, they must stay at home and get tested for COVID-19 with a standard (PCR) test, regardless of a negative rapid antigen test result.  

Our school will communicate with you as soon as we are aware that we have a confirmed COVID-19 case, including with instructions on how to conduct these tests, how to report the results, and support available if needed.

This pilot, and later statewide roll-out of rapid antigen testing is one of many strategies currently in place to support schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about what strategies are in place, please visit the department's website or call the department’s COVID-19 hotline on 1800 338 663.

Kind regards,

Suzanne Kinnersly