Classroom contacts are allowed to attend school unless they develop symptoms and test positive but in public schools have been restricted from participating in school-based extracurricular activities.
Schools are now communicating the updated information to parents, advising them of the relaxation in rules.
The advice from the Education Department was sent to schools on Monday, although information on the department’s website states that the relaxation in rules took effect from February 28.
In a statement, SA Health said it “provides guidance and advice for early childhood, primary and secondary schools on how to best manage COVID-19 in their school community”.
“This advice was updated on Monday 7 February 2022,” the statement said.
It comes as latest data from the Education Department shows that about 4000 public school students – 2.3 per cent of the total student population – were absent on Tuesday either with the virus or isolating as a close contact.
The department said 353 teachers and 189 school services officers were away for COVID-related reasons on Tuesday.
While rules have been relaxed for after-school activities, classroom contacts are still being told to avoid OSHC for seven days, according to the Education Department’s website.
For 14 days, they are advised to avoid high-risk settings or COVID Management Plan events, wear surgical masks around others where age appropriate outside the home, avoid contact with vulnerable people and avoid “non-essential” activities where possible such as with a lot of people ixjmtzywnside in close contact.
