NSW continues to be plagued by unknown sources of coronavirus transmission in the community. Photo: AAP
Formals, dances, graduation ceremonies, choirs and all social events have been banned in NSW government schools in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.
A string of school closures, the latest being Sydney Girls High on Monday, has prompted the NSW Education department to announce new COVID-safe rules.
From Wednesday all public schools in the state will be required to adopt the changes to ensure communities remain safe inside and outside the school gate, said an education department statement issued on Monday.
A man in his 80s became NSW’s latest virus fatality on Sunday, taking the state’s toll to 54. The coronavirus has claimed 421 Australian lives.
But NSW had just five new cases on Sunday, its lowest number since July 12.
All were locally acquired infections. Three of the five are connected to the Tangara School for Girls cluster, which has so far been linked to 25 cases in total, in Cherrybrook in Sydney’s northwest.
The three are linked to previous Tangara cases who visited four separate venues between August 2 and August 8.
Under other measures introduced for schools, anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 is prohibited from returning to school until a negative test result has been reported.
Additional measures for term three:
However students and staff required to support HSC students are permitted to undertake activities to meet their HSC requirements with COVID-19 safety measures in place.
Organisations that use school buildings or grounds must utilise a COVID-19 safety plan and encourage strict compliance.
The new restrictions are in addition to existing health advice for schools, including maintaining good hand hygiene, physical distancing for adults and the banning of non-essential school visitors.
-with AAP