GENERAL

What are the COVID-19 Excursion Guidelines?

The National Capital Educational Tourism Project, with the support of the ACT Government, developed School Excursion COVID-19 Guidelines in collaboration with the sector, for the purpose of reactivating safe local and interstate school excursions.

Who endorses the Guidelines?

The Guidelines are endorsed by National Attractions.

What sources are cited in the Guidelines?

The Guidelines contain advice and recommendations issued by:

• ACT Government.
• ACT Public schools.
• Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

Do school children have to travel as a cohort?

Maintaining separate cohorts during travel and excursion activities mitigates the risk of COVID-19 transmission into the broader community, and allows for easier contact tracing in the event that a person on an excursion contracts COVID-19.

Where school cohorts are mixed attractions should consider additional mitigations such as minimising:

• the length of time student groups participates in organised indoors activities together
• the number of student groups participating in organised indoors activities together.

What is a cohort?

A cohort is defined as a group of people with shared characteristics, e.g. a year level (~100 Students) plus adults who already share a common space within a school environment.

How should a cohort travel when on an excursion?

Movement of a cohort during an excursion could, for instance, take the form of:

1. Transportation to a venue where Students are not required to maintain 1.5 metre physical distancing within their cohort, but are required to practise physical distancing from other cohort groups and the public.
2. Precautionary measures such as designated toilets and eating areas should be considered to ensure the cohort doesn’t mix with other cohort groups at a venue.
3. The return journey should consist of the original cohort on board the same coach, with the same Driver used to transport the group to the venue.

How does the BCE system contact Tour Organisers and Teachers prior to an excursion?

Automatic excursion email reminders to Tour Organisers are generated 3 months, 6 weeks and 3 weeks prior to scheduled Canberra arrivals.

Automatic excursion email reminders to Lead Excursion Teachers are generated 3 months and 3 weeks prior to scheduled Canberra arrivals.

23 days before an excursion starts a nominated Lead Excursion Teacher is sent:

• an email, to check if the email address supplied for them is correct
• a text message, to check if the mobile phone number supplied for them is correct.

10 days before an excursion starts a nominated Lead Excursion Teacher is sent:

• an email, containing: a link to a Teacher Declaration form which requires them to agree to undertake a number of COVID-safe actions;
• a text message, advising them to check their inbox so they see and action the email.

The Teacher Declaration can be submitted as soon as the email containing the link to it is received.

There is no need to wait until the day of the excursion to submit it

TOUR ORGANISERS

Why is the BCE system contacting Teachers prior to excursions?

Information is sent to Lead Excursion Teachers, from 3 months before a Trip begins.

The BCE National Attractions – Terms & Conditions state:

A 3rd party making bookings on behalf of a school must:

• provide a valid school email address when submitting bookings, and ensure this address is updated to a Teacher’s email address at least 4 months prior to an excursion’s start date
• provide a valid school mobile number when submitting bookings, and ensure this number is updated to a Teacher’s number at least 1 month prior to an excursion’s start date.

I supply the email address given by the school, so we may have an ‘admin’ address; why is this an issue?

The Lead Excursion Teacher can change close to a school’s excursion, but it is important we are able to contact Teachers from 3 months before an excursion starts.

The issue with ‘admin’ email addresses is that emails sent to these addresses from the BCE system are often not actioned.

Tour Operators may have to impress on schools that if they do not supply information needed in the timeframes needed they will be putting their excursions at risk.

What happens if I don’t update Lead Excursion Teacher details for existing bookings?

Tour Organisers who do not provide Lead Excursion Teacher contact details in a timely manner may have their Trips and/or Bookings cancelled.

What should I do if I don’t know Lead Excursion Teacher details when I’m making a new booking?

It is not expected that Lead Excursion Teacher contact details will be known at the time of all new bookings.

Tour Organisers who do not know Lead Excursion Teacher contact details at the time of booking should provide valid generic school details.

• An individualised Lead Excursion Teacher email address must be supplied 4 months prior to an excursion’s start date.
• A valid Lead Excursion Teacher mobile phone number must be supplied 1 month prior to an excursion’s start date.

TEACHERS

Why is the BCE system contacting Teachers prior to excursions?

Information about Lead Excursion Teacher declarations is sent to Lead Excursion Teachers, from 3 months before a Trip begins.

For privacy reasons it is important that Teachers only are involved in this process.

The BCE National Attractions – Terms & Conditions state:

A school staff member making bookings on behalf of a school must:

• provide a valid school email address when submitting bookings, and ensure this address is updated to a Teacher’s email address at least 4 months prior to an excursion’s start date
• provide a valid school mobile number when submitting bookings, and ensure this number is updated to a Teacher’s number at least 1 month prior to an excursion’s start date.

What happens if I don’t submit a Lead Excursion Teacher​’s Declaration?

Lead Excursion Teachers who do not submit a Lead Excursion Teacher Declaration may have their Trips and/or Bookings cancelled.

Does every Teacher/Adult on an excursion have to submit a Lead Excursion Teacher​’s Declaration?

The Lead Excursion Teacher must complete a Teacher Declaration – they receive an email with a link to the Declaration in it – others cannot complete a Teacher Declaration.

One of the things they agree to do when making the Declaration is to ‘communicate as necessary with other Teachers on the excursion’.

Why is the BCE system sending me emails and SMS texts prior to excursions?

Information will be sent to Lead Excursion Teachers, from 3 months before a Trip begins.

Does the Personal Health Declaration still need to be completed?

No.

Can people who are not Teachers accompany a school excursion?

Transmission of COVID-19 between children and from children to adults is uncommon, however adults who have not been specifically requested to fulfil a necessary function/role – e.g. part of a mandatory Adult:Student ratio, or an essential carer to a Student – should be excluded from the excursion to minimise risk.

Do all Students on excursions have to be vaccinated?

No, but it is recommended that all Students aged 5 years old and above are vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to attending a school excursion (unless a medical exemption prevents them from being vaccinated) to reduce the risk of them becoming infected and introducing the virus into the community.

Do only over 16-year-olds need to be vaccinated?

No, but it is recommended that all Students aged 5 years old and above are vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to attending a school excursion (unless a medical exemption prevents them from being vaccinated) to reduce the risk of them becoming infected and introducing the virus into the community.

Do Students need vaccination certificates?

No, but it is recommended that all Students aged 5 years old and above are vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to attending a school excursion (unless a medical exemption prevents them from being vaccinated) to reduce the risk of them becoming infected and introducing the virus into the community.

Are Students who are not vaccinated excluded from excursions?

No, but it is recommended that all Students aged 5 years old and above are vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to attending a school excursion (unless a medical exemption prevents them from being vaccinated) to reduce the risk of them becoming infected and introducing the virus into the community.

Do all adults on excursions need to be to be vaccinated?

Yes, all frontline vaccine-eligible adults – such as Teachers, Drivers, attraction staff and accommodation staff – should be fully vaccinated before coming into contact with a school excursion cohort, in line with the AHPPC's advice related to reducing the opportunities for the virus to enter school populations

Does proof of vaccination need to show on entry to an attraction?

No, however:

• All frontline vaccine-eligible adults – such as Teachers – should be fully vaccinated before coming into contact with a school excursion cohort, in line with advice related to reducing the opportunities for the virus to enter school populations.

Do Teachers/Students need to show proof of a recent negative test?

No, however, prior to attending an excursion all attendees should undertake COVID-19 testing, consistent with school policies.

Is testing done by a Rapid Antigen Test (through the school) or via a local testing clinic?

Testing should be done consistent with school policies.

Does testing have to occur before departure and on arrival?

Prior to attending an excursion all attendees should undertake COVID-19 testing, consistent with school policies.

It is not expected that attendees will undertake COVID-19 testing on arrival in Canberra.

What happens when students test positive before leaving – is every Student and Teacher potentially listed as a close contact?

Where there is a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in a school environment schools should contact the National Coronavirus Helpline (1800 020 080 – operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) for advice.

What is the procedure required to be followed where a parent has indicated a child attending a Canberra excursion is a close contact of someone who has tested positive to Covid-19?

Advice at COVID-19 close contacts and carers states:

If you are a close contact of someone who is a confirmed case of COVID-19, and you do not have any symptoms, it is most likely you will not need to isolate.

Depending on which state or territory you live in, you will have to follow certain rules for a set time — usually 7 days — such as:

• wearing a mask when you leave your home
• taking regular RAT tests
• avoid large gatherings and high-risk settings.

Is a person considered a close contact if it has been more than 7 days since their contact person tested positive for COVID-19?

If you are a close contact of someone who is a confirmed case of COVID-19, you do not have to isolate.

However, you should follow the recommendations of the state or territory you are in.

Do Teachers/Students have to wear masks?

Masks are not required to be worn unless an attraction stipulates this as a condition of entry.

People with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should be encouraged to wear masks.

Excursion leaders should ensure they have a supply of masks available.

What procedures are in place when a Teacher or Student tests positive on tour?

There is no mandatory isolation period for people testing positive for COVID-19, however positive RATs must be reported ACT Health using their online registration form.

People diagnosed with COVID-19 should:

• stay away from others until their symptoms are resolved or they are feeling better
• wear a mask when indoors if around other people, and in public places
• minimise movements in the community where possible
• seek medical help immediately if symptoms worsen
• notify the National Capital Educational Tourism Project so all attractions visited by a school can be alerted.

Can a school return home if there is a positive case on tour?

Yes, however if a school wishes to return home following the determination of a positive test they should contact their State or Territory health department before travel and heed advice provided to them.

How long should schools hold records of the composition of cohorts after an excursion is finished?

Information regarding the composition of a cohort as it moves through Canberra should be stored by schools for 28 days, in accordance with ACT Health policy.

PARENTS/GUARDIANS/CARERS

What happens if a Student tests positive on tour?

People diagnosed with COVID-19 should:

• stay away from others until their symptoms are resolved or they are feeling better
• wear a mask when indoors if around other people, and in public places
• minimise movements in the community where possible
• seek medical help immediately if symptoms worsen
• notify the National Capital Educational Tourism Project so all attractions visited by a school can be alerted.