Vic services warned that RAT deliveries may be missed due to packaging change

Victorian early childhood education and care (ECEC) services have been reminded to check their emails carefully in relation to communication from the Victorian Government regarding delivery of free at-home Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) for Victorian children aged three to five years, and to be checking all deliveries for the test kits.

The Victorian Department of Education and Training has advised that due to a national carton shortage, test kits may be packaged in re-used boxes/cartons displaying products not related to test kits, e.g. food stuffs, and therefore may be missed on delivery.

Providers have been warned to not ignore or store these packages in the wrong area and to ensure they open and check the contents as it could be the RAT test supplies for the service’s children.

Test kits are continuing to be delivered to services for distribution to families. The roll out has begun with sessional kindergartens to be followed by other early childhood services including long day care, family day care and occasional care.

These test supplies are in addition to the RATs supplied to the ECEC workforce. Outside school hours care (OSHC) services are already receiving RAT kits via the schools distribution scheme.

Services are reminded that RATs provide an added layer of protection but are voluntary. While it is recommended that services encourage parents and carers to use these tests twice weekly, the Victorian Department of Education and Training have advised that completion of tests by families cannot be a condition of entry to a service.

The latest update from the Victorian Department of Education and Training is available here in relation to test delivery to services, advice to parents re administering tests, and contact reporting obligations in the event of a child recording a positive result.