18 August 2021 Dear Parent, Caregiver, Staff Member, COVID-19 at Avondale College
A staff member at Avondale College has been confirmed as having COVID-19. All staff and students of the college are now considered close contacts and must stay in self-isolation at home for 14 days.
Even if New Zealand’s national alert level changes from the current Level 4, you must still complete your full, 14-day self-isolation. What does ‘close contact’ mean?
You may have been near the person with COVID-19 for enough time to put you at greater risk of catching the illness. It’s important to now watch for symptoms (see below), and to stay at home as a precaution.
What should you do now?
1. You must self-isolate
- Aside from visiting a testing facility, you will need to stay at home and self-isolate until at least Tuesday 31 August in case you become ill with COVID-19. Information about how to self-isolate is available here.
- It is important to watch for symptoms of COVID-19 (see below) while in self-isolation.
- The people you live with do not need to do anything (unless you, or they, develop symptoms). If this happens, you and they will need to get tested. Find out more about this here.
- You, or your caregiver, will receive a daily call to check on your health and wellbeing during your self-isolation.
2. Get a test.
You will need to get tested:
· Immediately, and
· On Monday 23 August, and
· On Sunday 29 August.
The test is free. Please give the following code to the testing staff when you visit: SURV-TM18CC.
Find your nearest testing centre here.
3. Watch for symptoms
Keep watching for the symptoms during your 14-day self-isolation. If you get symptoms, you must have another test immediately and still complete your 14-day isolation – even if your test result is negative.
The symptoms of COVID-19 can include one or more of the following:
· sneezing and runny nose
· a new or worsening cough
· sore throat
· a fever of at least 38°C
· shortness of breath
· temporary loss of smell or altered sense of taste
· diarrhoea
· headache
· muscle pain or body aches
· nausea and vomiting.
What if I am vaccinated?
Even if you are vaccinated, you must stay in self-isolation for 14 days. This is because no vaccine is 100 per cent effective. You may still get ill, or pass the virus to others, if you are developing COVID-19. Finally, if you know the identity of the person with COVID-19, please do not disclose their names or details to anyone else, including sharing information on social media. This can lead to on-line bullying and abuse.
Will continue to update you if there are any change to the above advice.
For more information: call Healthline: 0800 358 5453 (a free, 24/7 service with interpreters available). You can also visit www.arphs.health.nz or www.covid19.govt.nz.
Thank you for your support.
Yours sincerely
Medical Officer of Health Auckland Regional Public Health Service