Updated health advice announced this week will ensure that NSW public schools can continue to operate full time with face to face teaching and learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schools remain safe however, school communities must remain vigilant.

From Wednesday, 19 August, all public schools in New South Wales will be required to adopt the changes to ensure school communities remain safe inside and outside the school gate.

Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 is prohibited from returning to school until a negative test result has been reported.

Under additional measures for Term 3:
• Students must remain within their relevant class or year group to limit mixing.
• Schools must not travel outside their local community or zone, including between rural and regional areas.
• Interschool sport and zone carnivals are restricted to 100 people per venue and must be held in the local area.
• Spectators, including parents and carers, are not permitted within school grounds or at sporting events held during school hours.
• All group singing and or other chanting activities, as well as the use of wind instruments in group settings are not permitted.
• Dance activities and drama group work can continue under a COVID-19 Safety Plan.
• School formals, dances, graduation, or other social events are not permitted. Schools may hold a Year 12 assembly at school without parents to recognise the completion of school or consider delaying events until later in the year.

Students and staff required to support HSC students are permitted to undertake activities to meet their HSC requirements with COVID-19 safety measures in place.

Organisations that use school buildings or grounds must have a COVID-19 safety plan in place and encourage strict compliance with that plan.

The new restrictions will complement existing health advice for schools, including maintaining good hand hygiene inside and outside the classroom, physical distancing for adults and banning non-essential school visitors.

Ground-breaking research from the University of South Australia confirms that the act of smiling can trick your mind into being more positive, simply by moving your facial muscles.

Since government restrictions put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an alarming rise in anxiety and depression amongst Australians and around the world. However, the study, published in Experimental Psychology, evaluated the impact of a covert smile on perception of face and body expressions. In both scenarios, a smile was induced by participants holding a pen between their teeth, forcing their facial muscles to replicate the movement of a smile.

The research found that facial muscular activity not only alters the recognition of facial expressions but also body expressions, with both generating more positive emotions.

Lead researcher and human and artificial cognition expert, University of South Australia’s Dr Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos says the finding has important insights for mental health.

“When your muscles say you’re happy, you’re more likely to see the world around you in a positive way,” Dr Fernando says.

“In our research we found that when you forcefully practise smiling, it stimulates the amygdala, the emotional centre of the brain, which releases neurotransmitters to encourage an emotionally positive state.”

“For mental health, this has interesting implications. If we can trick the brain into perceiving stimuli as ‘happy’, then we can potentially use this mechanism to help boost mental health.”

The findings demonstrate a strong link between action and perception. So perhaps there is more to the term “fake it ‘til you make it” than previously thought.

With World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) running from 1-8 August, now is the chance to reflect on breastfeeding. The Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) is supporting Australian mothers throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, finding new ways to stay in touch, support, encourage and empower women throughout their breastfeeding journey.

The benefits of breastfeeding are widely known and accepted, the qualified breast- feeding counsellors within the ABA recognise it doesn’t come easily to many mothers and are able to offer guidance and ideas to help overcome challenges they may face. Forbes mothers are able to contact a counsellor via email at abaparkesforbes@gmail.com to discuss any issues.

The national helpline is also available 24/7 on 1800 686 268, where counsellors can be reached day and night. With COVID restrictions in place, our face to face Breastfeeding Education Classes have been replaced with Breastfeeding Education Live, a new online and interactive education experience for expectant parents. More information on these classes can be found at www.breastfeeding.asn.au.

The theme for WBW 2020, ‘Support Breastfeeding for a Healthier Planet’ brings awareness to the impact of infant feeding on the environment. Breastfeeding contributes to general health and food security and breastmilk is a natural, renewable food that is produced and delivered to the consumer without pollution, packaging or waste. When we protect and support mothers and breastfeeding, we are also reducing the impact on our air, water, and land, protecting our young ones and future generations.

Due to COVID-19 the Parkes/Forbes ABA group has temporarily ceased their monthly meeting. To keep up to date with local happenings check out the Australian Breastfeeding Association Parkes/Forbes Group on Facebook.

Despite the benefit of having ample space in the Forbes Shire and safety measures in place, it is still crucial that residents continue to maintain COVID-19 safety measures to ensure that Forbes Shire remains COVID free.

This week the Western NSW Local Health District has reported a confirmed case of COVID-19.

The case is currently in isolation in Orange but has a residential address outside of the Western NSW Health District. The case is linked to a known cluster in Sydney.

The Public Health Unit has contacted all close contacts. They have been provided with Public Health information which includes to be tested for COVID-19 and remain in isolation for 14 days.

Currently WNSWLHD is urging residents in the region to get tested for COVID-19, regardless of how mild the symptoms are. It is vital that individuals take the right precautions to ensure the safety of the community.

To help stop the spread of COVID-19:
• Wash your hands regularly.
• Take hand sanitiser when you go out.
• If feeling unwell, get tested.
• Leave 1.5 metres between yourself and others.
• Wear a mask in situations where you cannot physically distance.

Nominations for the ‘peoples’ choice’ award at this year’s NSW Health Excellence in Nursing & Midwifery Awards have officially opened. The annual awards ceremony was put on hold due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The awards are a highlight of our calendar, but this year instead of a live event held in Sydney, we will be broadcasting the show to the nurses and midwives wherever they are in NSW with a virtual format in November,” NSW Chief Nurse and Midwife Officer, Jacqui Cross said. “The virtual show will be entertaining and meaningful,” Jacqui said.

For the Healing Heart Award, patients, families, and carers are invited to nominate a nurse or midwife who made their healthcare experience special by visiting the NSW Health website at health.nsw.gov.au/nursing/enma. Nominations close on 27 July.

The awards carry special significance in 2020, being the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. We recognise and celebrate nurses and midwives for the skill, leadership, and compassionate care they contribute to people and the broader health system every day. The Awards will be shown on 26 November.

There are many things that Australians over 60 would like to see return to “normal” post-COVID, but according to new research undertaken by the Global Centre for Modern Ageing (GCMA), telehealth is something many are keen to keep.

Whether accessed by phone or online, telehealth has worked well for older Australians, with more than 60 per cent of people aged over 60 surveyed nationally saying they were willing to use telehealth in the future.

“Older Australians like telehealth for its convenience, reduced travel and ability to be conducted at home,” said GCMA chief executive Julianne Parkinson.

Over two in three people who used telehealth during the pandemic said they would feel confident using telehealth in the future and 49% said they were likely to use telehealth after the pandemic.

“The experience of those who took part in digital consultations was positive,” said Julianne.

While many had a largely positive experience, some had difficulties using telehealth. Challenges included a less personal experience, less perceived warmth and less perceived care, difficulties for people with hearing impairment, tech glitches and a lack of tech confidence.