For ABTA Student Clinic Clients please see News & Advice on the operating times for Student Clinic

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For ABTA Students please continue ready the FAQs below.

 

As issues with the coronavirus changes and develops it’s important to stay informed. Help stop the spread, know your risk and monitor your health. These short videos detail good practices that everyone can adopt.
 

• https://www.health.gov.au/resources/videos/coronavirus-video-stay-informed

• https://www.health.gov.au/resources/videos/coronavirus-video-recent-traveller

• https://www.health.gov.au/resources/videos/coronavirus-video-good-hygiene-starts-here
   

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ABTA has ceased all face-to-face training from 12th Aug. 2021 onwards until further notice. The online learning options will be provided to all classes from 16th Aug. 2021, until the face-to-face training recommences and replaces the online learning options. We encourage you stay engaged with learning, our admin staff and teaching staff are still available to continue their support and assist with your learning. 

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1. What strategies are ABTA currently putting in place in relation to Coronavirus?

 

We want to reassure our students that we are being proactive in dealing with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

 

We are actively communicating with a wide range of government authorities in order to ensure we are adopting the constantly evolving advice they are providing.

 

We have dedicated an email address for all students to send questions to – email info@abtaedu.com.au.

 

We have also published this FAQ section which will be updated daily

Additionally, we encourage our students to view the Federal Government Department of Health website to keep informed of the latest advice.

 

We also continue to emphasise to ABTA staff the importance of continuing to implement practices that support the highest standard of hygiene in our Academy. We are providing ongoing updates, new tools and modified policies and procedures to all our ABTA Staff. This information is being communicated frequently to all team members via our internal communication channels.

 

 

2. How concerned should we be?

Somebody once said, “we should be alert but not alarmed.” The outcomes of the virus have been worst amongst elderly people with underlying health complications. Most people who have contracted the virus have experienced cold or flu-like symptoms, without more serious complications, and have recovered fully. The virus is not airborne.

We encourage you and your family to avoid a sense of panic in relation to this situation.  We have developed robust responses to a range of scenarios, and we are increasing efforts to build on the already high hygiene standards within our Academy.

 

 

3. What can we do to protect ourselves?

 

Advice from federal and state health authorities it that the most important thing for us all to do is to maintain good hygiene. We continue to reinforce this message to all staff members, students, clients and models of ABTA. We ask that everyone involved at ABTA:
 

• We require all people entering a centre to spray themselves with Disinfectant/ Alcohol Spray provided at very entry point of the Academy. They will need to spray themselves with the Disinfectant/Alcohol Spray outside the building, wait for the Disinfectant/Alcohol Spray to evaporate, then enter the building. We also ask that everyone who enters the building to wash their hands once they enter as well as before they leave. Pleas keep in mind the Disinfectant/Alcohol Spray is highly flammable, please ensure that you do not spray this indoors as any heat may cause a fire.

• Washing your hands often with soap and water, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet

• Covering your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue (before disposing of it)

• Disposing of tissues properly

• Using alcohol-based hand sanitisers

• Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces

• Avoid touching faces

• Cleaning and sanitising frequently used objects such as mobiles, keys and wallets

• While friendliness and courtesy remain, shaking hands, hugging and other physical contact are no longer appropriate.

• If you are sick, avoiding contact with others and staying more than 1.5 metres away from people

• Advanced additional cleaning and specialist products
  We are even further increasing our emphasis on the cleaning of the Academy and specifically a targeted antibacterial ‘super-clean’ after every class. This will see the most effective available cleaning products used in our Academy. We continue to increase the amount of disinfectant product to Academy to guarantee the cleaning of surfaces throughout the day.

• Minimising the time taken and the number of people attending the Academy
  As you are all aware the Student Clinic is temporarily closed as of the 12/08/2021 - 02/09/2021. We will notify both staff, students and clients when clinical practice will reopen.
  While we have been advised by health authorities that the risk of infection occurring as a result of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 attending our Academy is low, we are asking that you restrict the number of people you bring through to the Academy to a minimum. Please advise your trainer if you need to bring a model through for class training sessions prior to you bringing them through to the Academy.

• Social distancing within the Academy – team members
  For the safety and wellbeing of our community, and to ensure we continue to have trainers in the Academy, we are banning meetings or interactions that require ‘close contact’.  We have directed our trainers not to place themselves in situations that would result them in being deemed a ‘close contact’ of another trainer. A close contact is someone who has been in face-to-face contact for more than 15 minutes, or who has been in the same closed space for at least 2 hours, with a confirmed case in the period extending from 24 hours before onset of symptoms in the confirmed case.

•  Social distancing within the Academy – students
  As a precaution we are instructing our teams to carefully plan all class sessions to minimise the extent that students will be mixing with one another. For more information on Social Distancing visit the link below:
  
  https://health.act.gov.au/about-our-health-system/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/protect-yourself

If you have any developing flu-like symptoms, for the wellbeing and safety of the students and staff of ABTA, you will be required to stay at home until recovered. If we suspect you are unwell at ABTA, you will need to leave the Academy immediately. We are keeping any risk of infection at the Academy very low.      

 

Please continue to reference updated COVID-19 information on the Australian Government website and on our website. Both sites are being progressively updated and it is important to continue to stay in touch with the latest information. 

 

 

4. Will I be notified if there are diagnosed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) at the Academy?

 

Yes.

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5. What happens if I show signs of Coronavirus (COVID-19) whilst at the Academy?

 

If you show symptoms of coronavirus whilst at the Academy, you will be asked to leave immediately. Medical clearance will be required before you can return to the Academy.

 

 

 

6. If I has a runny nose will you treat me like they have Coronavirus and exclude me from the Academy?

 

If you have any early or developing flu-like symptoms, for the wellbeing and safety of the other students and our staff, you will be required to stay at home until recovered. 

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If you show symptoms of coronavirus whilst at the Academy, you will be asked to leave immediately. Medical clearance will be required before you can return to the Academy.

 

 

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7. If I have a respiratory condition what is required?

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Our protections extend beyond the COVID -19 virus. Because the virus can have more significant impacts on people with underlying conditions we would encourage you to consider the safety of yourself and make whatever decision you are comfortable with about their attending the Academy.  It should be noted that any student with a medical condition is required to have a Medical Management Plan, a Risk Minimisation Plan and a Communication Plan in place. This has been disclosed at Orientation Day.

 

 

 

8. What is the risk of students or educators/trainers contracting the virus while at the Academy?

 

We are advised by government health authorities that the current risk of infection as a result of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 attending the Academy is low. People need to be considered a close contact of an infected person to be considered at risk.  A close contact is typically someone who has been face-to-face for at least 15 minutes, or has shared the same closed space for at least 2 hours, with a person that was infectious.  We have also been informed that the infected person needs to have been displaying symptoms when visiting the Academy or have visited the Academy within the 24 hours prior to displaying symptoms for the risk to escalate.

 

 

 

9. What happens if an educator or student at the Academy is diagnosed with Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

 

If an educator or a student is diagnosed with Coronavirus (COVID-19) we will follow the advice provided by the health department.  We will ensure all students are notified. It is highly likely that the Academy will need to close for a period of time as advised by the Health Authorities.

 

 

10. Will you be introducing monitoring of temperatures?

 

No.

A fever or elevated temperature is only one of the symptoms of the virus. We have instructed our staff to look out for any symptoms associated with the virus. We can measure student’s temperatures within our Academy and readily do so if we suspect that you may be running a fever. We will continue with this approach. We do not plan to undertake large scale monitoring of individual temperatures.

 

 

11. What should I do if I am planning an overseas trip?

 

It is essential that if you are planning an overseas trip to review the Smart Traveller website and comply with any travel restrictions or recommendations it provides in relation to Coronavirus. If you are planning on travelling overseas to any location you must to inform your ABTA.

 

 

12. What are the current travel restrictions?

 

We ask that you make informed decisions regarding overseas travel in the coming months. We encourage you to consider the Australian Government’s travel advisory information available online at Smart Traveller.

The Federal Government has announced that as of 16 March, anyone arriving in Australia from overseas will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days.  International cruise ships have been banned from docking in Australia for the next 30 days.

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If you begin to feel unwell and develop a fever or shortness of breath, a cough or a respiratory illness during your period of self-quarantine you should seek immediate medical attention.  If you experience any other symptom during your period of self-quarantine you should also seek immediate medical attention.

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13. Do I continue to pay my school fees?

 

Yes. As currently your class training assessment is scheduled as usual, we are delivering all training activities via live-stream platform during the lock-down period, therefore payment will continue as per payment plan. 

 

However, if ever a situation arises such as self isolate is required, your studies will be deferred for the period of the time of isolation and ABTA is committed to work with individual student to help with completion of the study case by case.  Your school fee payment will not be affected by this.

 

As you can understand we will continue to operate our business through this crisis. We will continue to have obligations that we must meet, for example, we to need to pay wages to our teams, rent to our landlords and a variety of other costs.  To be able to do this we will still need to charge fees in accordance with government laws and regulations.

 

 

14. What is the likelihood of the Academy closing?

 

It is impossible to predict with any certainty what may happen, however we are preparing for a scenario where we may need to close for a period of time. Decisions will be based on advice from Health Authorities or other government authorities, or if we believe we are unable to provide service or comply with regulations.

 

 

15. I have further questions, where can I go for answers?

 

We have dedicated an email for you to respond to for all queries  info@abtaedu.com.au.

You should also regularly refer to the Federal Government Department of Health Website at www.health.gov.au

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16. Why, in response to mandated social distancing, why are higher education centres not being closed? 

 

The current advice is that, University and higher education are considered essential and should continue at this time, but with risk mitigation measures in place. AHPPC considers the actions below will enact social distancing and help to protect health service provision as well as ensuring business continuity:
 

• Encouraging staff who can work effectively from home to do so.

• Holding as many business meetings as possible by audio-visual link or other remote means.

• Cancelling all non-essential events.

• Encouraging universities and higher education facilities to provide to access online content remotely and participate in as many other classes as possible by audio-visual link or other remote means.

• Ensuring lectures and examinations have no more than one person per four square metres of floor space and have fewer than 100 persons.

• Continuing to support clinical placements if the necessary risk assessments have been undertaken, after discussion with clinical supervisors and facilities. The safety of patients, staff and students is paramount.

• Staff should continue to undertake their normal duties with risk mitigation strategies.
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Given the demonstrated feasibility of online delivery of lecture content, we support universities and higher education centres moving to an online platform, where appropriate, for continuity of student education.

 

For programs that require face-to-face interactions or utilise the physical environments, such as laboratories, classes can continue but need to consider reduction in the size of the classes; ensure regular hand hygiene for all staff and students (e.g., hand sanitisers at entry points); and ensure cleaning addresses areas of high touch points for students and staff.

 

These steps will allow universities and higher education centres to play their part in reducing interactions as much as possible in support of the government's efforts to encourage social distancing.

 

link: https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/act-status-and-response