If you are a contact of someone with COVID-19

If you are a close contact you are encouraged to notify your supervisor or subject coordinator to explore studying or working from home, if you can, for 7 days.

If you need to access campus during that time the following is strongly recommended:

1. Monitor for symptoms and only attend campus if you are symptom-free
2. Test regularly
3. Wear a mask indoors on campus and whenever you cannot physically distance
4. Avoid sensitive settings specified by the Victorian Government or the University
5. Follow any other public health advice.

You can access RATs and P2 masks on campus if you are symptom-free.

Please follow any additional requirements that may apply in the following settings due to their sensitive nature:

• Student accommodation
• Healthcare settings
• Other areas identified by local risk assessment

• Please do not attend campus if you have any symptoms
• Monitor for symptoms and test if symptoms develop

If you receive a positive test result, follow advice for COVID-positive people.

If you test negative for COVID-19 but your symptoms continue, please do not attend campus until symptoms disappear or you have been diagnosed with something non-infectious.

If you have recovered from COVID-19, you are not required to test or isolate if you are re-exposed to a case, or participate in an asymptomatic screening program, within 5 weeks of your initial positive test result. However, if you know you were exposed to a COVID-positive person, you should monitor for symptoms.

If you have any new symptoms consistent with COVID-19 within this 5-week period, please:

• stay away from campus until you are symptom-free
• if you are at higher risk of severe disease – seek advice from a medical practitioner and get tested for COVID-19, and potentially other respiratory viruses, so you can access treatment if eligible.

After 5 weeks, if you are exposed to someone who has COVID-19 you must follow the relevant advice depending on the type of 'contact' you are (close contact, social contact, etc).

More information is available in the Victorian Government checklist for COVID cases.

Please notify your Subject Coordinator/s or Supervisor by email as soon as possible if you are unable to attend class so they can provide advice about any impacts on your study, and the availability of alternatives, such as online materials or lecture recordings while you are away, extensions or special consideration for any upcoming assessments and any other related matters. If you are currently undertaking a placement, please also notify your placement coordinator. We have created some message guides to help you.

If you or your studies have been affected by COVID-19, you may be eligible to apply for special consideration – find out more. Please get in touch with your course coordinator if you have any concerns around your studies.

Further information and FAQs are available to guide you if you miss classes or assessments due to COVID-19.

Staff who are unwell should immediately alert their supervisor and avoid working in contact with others, and follow the current guidance.

Teaching staff should discuss with their supervisor whether others could cover their classes or whether classes could be scheduled at another period.

Staff are encouraged to use personal leave if they are sick or need to care for a member of their family.

If staff members are able to work from home, they should discuss this with their supervisor and agree on an ad-hoc arrangement for a short period.

Find out more about leave and other entitlements in the Human Resources section of Staff Hub – staff login required.

The University is providing access to discounted rapid antigen tests (RATs) on campus for students and staff.

There are vending machines or distribution points on every campus.

Please do not come to campus to collect a test if you are unwell. Please ask someone to collect a test from campus on your behalf, or purchase one from a pharmacy or other retailer.

Find out how to get RATs on campus

Face masks are welcome in all settings for personal and community safety. They continue to be required or recommended in some settings.

The University continues to provide access to face masks on campus:

• surgical masks are available in key locations, like libraries, for staff, students and visitors who have forgotten or don’t have access to a mask and want to wear one
• P2 or equivalent masks:
  • students and staff can purchase discounted masks via vending machines on Parkville, Southbank and Werribee campuses, and can access them in person at these locations on our other campuses
  • staff and students attending an area of campus or undertaking an activity where it is required by local risk assessment or Standard Operating Procedure will be provided with an appropriate mask

Frequently asked questions about face masks

• Do I need to wear a mask on campus?

  You are welcome to wear a face mask anywhere on campus for personal and community safety.

  The University continues to require face masks in certain settings. Please follow the link below to access the latest advice and requirements for face masks on campus.

  Current face mask advice

• How do I wear a face mask effectively?

  To use a mask properly you should:

  • wash or sanitise your hands before putting on, taking off or changing masks
  • make sure it covers your nose and mouth and fits snugly under your chin
  • avoid touching the front of your mask while wearing or removing it
  • keep it in place – don't hang it around your neck or under your nose
  • minimise the removal of masks – this decreases their effectiveness
  • wash and dry reusable masks after use and store in a clean dry place
  • do not use masks if they are wet or dirty

  Mask fit

  Well-fitted and comfortable face masks provide the best protection.

  Choose one that fits you well – aiming for no gaps along the edges or around your nose. Ideally it will be comfortable when being worn properly, so you can keep it on for the time you need to.

  • Check for gaps by cupping your hands around the outside edges of the mask.
  • Make sure no air is flowing from the area near your eyes or from the sides of the mask.
  • If the mask has a good fit, you will feel warm air come through the front of the mask and may be able to see the mask material move in and out with each breath.

  Facial hair

  Evidence shows beards can cause an impaired seal, which may increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

  If you have facial hair, you should consider the type of mask you wear and make appropriate adjustments.

• What are the different mask types and when should I use them?

  Cloth masks

  If you opt for a cloth mask, we strongly recommend they have:

  • a proper fit to prevent leaks
  • multiple layers of tightly woven and breathable fabric, or fabric that blocks the light – avoid single layer masks
  • a nose hook/clip

  Surgical masks

  Surgical masks are disposable masks with an Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) number. Surgical masks protect the nose and mouth from large and small droplets.

  The University has surgical masks available in key locations for campus attendees who have forgotten or don't have access to their own mask.

  P2 masks (or equivalent)

  Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) approved P2 or equivalent masks, when worn properly and consistently, provide a higher level of protection than surgical or cloth masks.

  • They offer protection from exposure to small airborne particles
  • To be effective, a tight facial seal is necessary, which can become uncomfortable from prolonged use
  • Minimise the removal of masks – this decreases their effectiveness. Once the mask is on, do not remove unless necessary (ie: for clear communication while teaching) or until you are outside.

  When to use a P2 or equivalent mask

  Some settings will require the use of a P2 or equivalent mask based on a local risk assessment or Standard Operating Procedure. Masks will be provided by local areas for staff and students in these settings.

  You may also choose to wear one in the following situations:

  • If you are in a position that interacts with large numbers of people in close proximity
  • When physical distancing is not possible
  • If it makes you feel safer
• What type of mask is available from the vending machines?

  The vending machines dispense Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) approved P2 masks (or equivalent).

  Surgical masks are available at key locations around campus (eg libraries) for staff, students and visitors attending campus who have forgotten or don’t have access to a mask and want to wear one.

• How many face masks can I purchase at once?

  You can purchase face masks in packs of two (2) at the discounted prices listed here:

  Item	Quantity	Price
  Rapid antigen test	1	$2.25
  P2 mask	2	$2.20

• Can I remove my mask to communicate with someone with hearing difficulties?

  When communicating with people who are deaf or have hearing difficulties, visibility of the mouth is essential for communication. You may remove your mask for this purpose when it would otherwise be required. This applies for people for whom the nature of their work or education means that clear enunciation or visibility of their mouth is essential, including teaching, lecturing or broadcasting. Individuals in these roles may be required to remove their mask for the purposes of accessibility.

  When removing a mask for accessibility, we recommend you:

  • maintain a distance of 1.5m between yourself and others, and
  • limit the duration without a mask, and
  • only do so in a well-ventilated space (if possible),

  if you:

  • are returning to campus on days 6–7 after testing positive for COVID-19 (please do not attend campus or remove your mask if you still have symptoms or are still testing positive on a RAT), or
  • are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, or
  • are in a setting where masks are required following a local risk assessment of COVID-19 transmission risks.