More free RATs for WA schools in Term Three

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20 free RATs will be given to each Western Australian school student.
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A graphic showing RATs are available for schools

The WA Government is providing an additional 11.8 million free RATs to WA schools to support local families and teachers.

New sub-variants have led to an increase of COVID infections and reinfections. The WA Government is providing 20 free RATs to each student and an allocation to staff members to help continue face-to-face learning and minimise disruptions to schooling.

Individual schools will provide more information to parents and carers on how to collect their RATs.

This distribution supports recommendations following National Cabinet to strongly encourage mask wearing indoors. This includes schools to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Parents and carers are encouraged to share the importance of wearing a mask to their children, encourage good hand hygiene, and to wear a mask when visiting schools.

Testing remains important to keep vulnerable community members safe from COVID-19. Parents and carers should test their children and keep them home from school if they have symptoms.

Students who are close contacts can only attend school if they don’t have symptoms and return a daily negative RAT. These students (Year 7 and above) must also wear a mask when they leave home (unless exempt).