COVID-19
Safety Information
Managing activities during the flu season
A number of people have sought guidance on managing safety during scouting activities during a flu outbreak.
The ACT Venturer Team recommends that local Branch, Group and Unit activities should continue with appropriate risk management.
Scouts ACT Policy gives responsibility for determining if an activity ought to be approved to the Group Leader or Commissioner responsible. Venturer Units should make this easy for them by considering the risks prior to asking approval.
The ACT Venturer Team recommends that you consider four elements of risk when managing activities:
Current advice from Federal and State Authorities
The risk of exposure to COVID-19
The risk of transmission
Declaration of a Bio-security Emergency
Scroll down this page to find access to detailed and up to date advice.
Current advice
It is advised to cancel all static events with more than 500 people, and reconsider all non essential over seas travel.
Current advice on COVID-19 is that people who have recently traveled to regions in which an outbreak has been declared, or have been in direct contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 are asked to "self-isolate" for a period of not less than 14 days.
If you have cold and flu symptoms, you can see a Doctor, but should remain at home, take appropriate medication, and try not to spread it around. If symptoms are significant, become worse or you have breathing difficulty, you should see a Doctor as soon as you can.
The links on the right provide current and up to date advice, The ACT Health link is the best source for up to date advice.
Stay updated!
Up to date advice on flu, the coronavirus (COVID-19) can be found at these websites.
Breaking or emerging news is likely to be posted on twitter on these accounts:
The risk of exposure
Even though most instances of the flu/colds do not pose a risk, ACT Health have advised that people who have flu like symptoms should stay at home and avoid social events and mass gatherings. In a Venturer Unit context this would suggest that normal practice ought to be for those with a cold or flu to remain at home.
Venturers should monitor information from their schools and other community groups to remain up to date on their risk of exposure.
Up to date advice
Once again, up to date advice on flu, the coronavirus (COVID-19) can be found at these websites.
The risk of transmission
The best way to avoid the transmission or receipt of COVID-19 is to wash your hands, and maintain hygiene and clean surfaces that may have been touched, or coughed or sneezed on.
Here are some tips from the experts:
In the event that a Bio-Security emergency is declared, here is what that means!
Bio-security emergency
The Federal Minister for Health has the authority to declare a Bio-security Emergency. A declaration is a legal instrument that provides the minister for health with the power to restrict travel and movement, enforce quarantines on communities and direct other government agencies in combating an infection. In this circumstance it is likely that hospitals and emergency services would be under pressure.
Although it is unlikely, in the event that an emergency is declared the ACT Venturer Team recommends that your risk and mitigation arrangements for all Scouting events and activities are reassessed.
If an emergency is declared, details would be found here:
and other information and updates would be likely to be posted on twitter here: