The coronavirus COVID-19 situation continues to evolve (by the hour), as seen in the media in recent days. This has led to the closure of a number of schools, albeit for periods of only one or two days, and the introduction of various other measures by governments including upgraded travel advice and banning large gatherings.  This notice is to inform you of our approach to the rapidly changing developments.

 

Please continue to reference updated COVID-19 information on the Australian Government website and on our website, look for the COVID UPDATE and COVID FAQ tabs.

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Both sites are being progressively updated and it’s important you keep yourself up to date with the latest information.

Other useful links:

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

• 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

 

Frequently Asked Questions 

We have prepared answers to the most frequently asked questions received from our students.  These are on our website at abtaedu.com.au now.  Should you have any questions that are not covered in this document please send them to enquiry@abtaedu.com.  

 

As you can imagine there are a substantial number of scenarios we are working through and given the speed with which the situation is evolving we may not be able to respond to all questions immediately. 

 

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. 

 

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, we are in contact with all relevant authorities and acting on their advice and we are increasing efforts to build on the already high hygiene standards within our Academy. 

 

What would happen if there was a diagnosed case of a student or educator/trainer? 

We will inform you if this happens.  In all cases we will act on the advice of the relevant Health Authority. 

 

We have been advised by Health Authorities that the risk of infection occurring as a result of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 attending the Academy are low. People need to be considered a close contact of the infected or at-risk person to be considered at risk of contracting the virus.  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. 

 

Should a visitor to ABTA be diagnosed with COVID-19 we will undertake a special clean of the Academy and will rely on the advice of the relevant Health Authority on whether to close our services or not.  

 

Should an educator/trainer or student be diagnosed with COVID-19 we will close the Academy and act on the advice of the relevant Health Authority. 

 

What can we do to protect ourselves, our classmates and the staff of ABTA? 

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

 

Proactive non-attendance due to any flu-related symptom
We are keeping any risk of infection at our Academy low.  Therefore, 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, look for the COVID UPDATE and COVID FAQ tabs.

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Both sites are being progressively updated and it’s important you keep yourself up to date with the latest information.

 

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.

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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 19/03/2020 - 27/04/2020. 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.

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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

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Updated Travel Advice 

In addition to the travel advice contained on the Smart Traveller website about particular countries of high risk, we want to direct your attention to the decision of the Federal Government that as of 16 March anyone arriving in Australia from overseas will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days.  

 

With school holidays rapidly approaching, I ask that you make informed decisions regarding overseas travel in the coming months. I encourage you to consider the Australian Government’s travel advisory information available online at Smart Traveller. 

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Another question students are asking is:

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.
   

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.

 

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Keeping you informed using your current contact information 

Please ensure that ABTA has the most up-to-date email and mobile phone details for all approved contacts.

 

The situation is changing rapidly (almost hourly), so I would ask that if you have any questions that are not centre specific can you please forward them to enquiry@abtaedu.com, rather than asking your Trainer. As you can imagine we are receiving a significant number of enquiries so may not be able to respond to them all individually. 

 

Please consult the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website at abtaedu.com.au – this will be updated regularly with answers to the most commonly asked questions. 

 

I would also like to offer a genuine ‘thank you’ to all of our students for your ongoing co-operation and measured response to this matter. 

 

Yours sincerely, 

 

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Ping Gan
Principal