Second Colac person tests positive for COVID-19

A Trinity College Colac student has tested positive for coronavirus, forcing the school to close on Monday for contact tracing and cleaning.

The Colac Herald understands the student is a close family contact of a Colac man who tested positive on Friday.

That man was a meat inspecting contractor based at Colac employer ALC, who had most recently worked on July 9.

The student had a test on Friday after their relative tested positive, and the result came back positive this morning.

Colac now has two active cases of COVID-19, after going months without active cases.

The State Government has urged all Victorians to wear face masks when out of their homes if they can’t socially distance.

Colac Area Health will open its COVID-19 testing clinic this weekend but is urging residents wanting a test to ring ahead.

If you wish to be tested please call the Colac clinic on 5232 5402. There are also pop up testing clinics in Lorne -5289 4300 and Apollo Bay-5237 8500.

 

 

Trinity College Colac principal Paul Clohesy issued the following statement to the school community this morning:

Dear Parents and Carers

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has confirmed that a Year 12 student at our school has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).

Following advice from the DHHS and the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV), the school will be closed for all students and staff on Monday July 20.

This closure will allow time for the school and the DHHS to work through a contact and containment strategy and for the school to ensure a thorough deep clean of our school has taken place.

The contact and containment strategy includes identifying and notifying any person who has been in close recent contact with the affected student. Affected students, their families and school staff will be notified by the DHHS, hopefully over the next 24 hours and supported to ensure they understand what actions to take.

Any families that are concerned about their child’s wellbeing should follow the advice of their medical practitioner. The Colac testing clinic is open this weekend from 9am to 5pm. People are asked to phone ahead on 5232 5402.

All students are asked to be mindful of their movements over the next few days and to follow the usual social distancing and hygiene protocols.

The school is being supported by the DHHS and the CECV regarding our next steps and appropriate action.

I understand this news will be concerning for many of you. I want to assure you we are doing everything we can to contain and slow the spread of the virus, and ensure the health and safety of our whole school community. I have attached a document with tips on coping with Coronavirus anxiety.

The school will update all families once the contact tracing has been completed and a decision about reopening the school facilities for students is made. We will continue to keep you informed as further updates become available. At this point, the intention is to re-open school on Tuesday morning.

More information regarding coronavirus and schools is available on the DHHS and CECV websites.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Clohesy, Principal