COVID-19 updates

Wednesday 5 January 2022

The health and safety of our community is our main concern and we will be watching the evolving pandemic and health advice closely. We are ready to make changes to our programs and protocols if necessary.

Check in and masks

Please check in whenever you enter the Flipside space.

Masks must be worn by all participants and visitors when entering or leaving Flipside and can only be removed on the training floor during strenuous exercise (except for those under 12 years of age or with medical exemptions).

When to stay home

If a member of your household has COVID symptoms, please do not attend Flipside programs.

If a member of your household is a Close Contact of a confirmed COVID case, please do not attend Flipside programs until you have obtained a negative test or completed your isolation/quarantine period.

If you can’t make it to your program because of COVID please contact us to discuss make ups/refunds.

Let us know

If a member of your household becomes symptomatic or tests positive for COVID after you have attended Flipside programs, please email us as soon as possible.

Staffing and disruption

Our trainers and staff are vaccinated against COVID-19, and our staff will remain at home if they test positive to Covid or develop symptoms. This may place pressure on our staffing/trainer levels and could cause some last-minute disruption to our programs. We hope to be able to manage any disruption and will provide as much notice as possible if we have to make changes.

More information

Visit www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/public-health-directions

Monday 23 August

Friday 13 August

COVID SAFE PROCEDURES update 12 August 2021

Monday 9 August 2021

We were really excited to get back into training and classes this week – but on reflection, we feel that this current outbreak and the new restrictions have still not settled. And so, we want to err on the side of caution and have decided to cancel training and rehearsals this week (week of 9 August).

We will be in touch regarding next week’s training later this week. Thanks for your understanding, if you have any questions please let us know.

Sunday 8 August 2021

• we will be asking parents/carers to ‘drop and go’ rather than staying on-site for classes (with the exception of our younger participants where parents/carers participate);
• we will require all participants over 12 years of age to wear a mask while at Flipside. There will be times on the floor where trainers will inform participants that it’s okay to remove masks – during high-intensity activities like tumbling and aerials.

We want to thank our community for staying in touch with us and letting us know when they have had a connection to an affected school/been at a hotspot. So far, all of our community, that we are aware of, in-home isolation have tested negative to COVID. Please keep updating us if you are a close contact/are asked to go into isolation.

For more information, please visit https://www.qld.gov.au/health

COVID SAFE PROCEDURES

Update 8 August 2021

Before you arrive

• If you have been asked to isolate or tested positive to COVID, please contact us as soon as possible;
• If you or your child are unwell, please let us know and do not come to class. We offer up to 2 make-up classes per term and are offering additional make-ups during this time;
• Please arrive dressed and ready to train as there are no change rooms available at the pop-up circus training space. This will also minimise the use of bathrooms and communal areas.

When you arrive

• Please, no non-participants inside the training space, or under the shaded area. For the next two weeks are adopting a ‘drop and go’ policy for all classes (except for our younger classes and where parent/caregivers participate in class).
• Everyone who enters the Flipside space (not including the carpark) is required to sign in with a QR code and/or the Flipside rolls. Look for the Check-In Sheet as you enter the space, participants please sign in at the front desk on arrival.
• Parents/carers are required to wear a mask at all times on site. Participants 12 years and over will also be required to wear a mask, when appropriate, during class. Trainers will also be wearing a mask, when appropriate, during classes.
• Anyone presenting with temperature, cold or flu symptoms or who is feeling unwell will be asked not to participate in classes. Flipside will contact parents/carers to arrange for unwell participants to be picked up – please do not return until either cleared by testing or having no symptoms for 72 hours.
• All students are to wait in the designated area (near the admin desk), before being guided onto the floor by our trainers.
• All students are to wait in the designated pick-up area (outside the office) to be collected by parents/carers.

During class

• Maintain good hygiene; wash/disinfect your hands regularly, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing, dispose of tissues immediately after use and wash your hands or apply hand sanitiser.
• Avoid touching equipment or surfaces where practical.
• Maintain social distancing of 2m from others where practical.
• Avoid contact with others where practical.

Using shared equipment

• Wait until trainer has cleaned equipment.
• Wait to use equipment until the trainer has notified the student it is safe to touch.
• Sanitise hands after use of shared equipment.

Single-use equipment

• Do not share or swap equipment with other students.
• After use, place equipment back in the equipment box or at designated sanitation stations.

After class

• On your way out of the space please sanitise your hands
• Do not leave personal items in the space, everything must be taken with you at the end of your class.
• Lost property to be discarded at the end of the day.

Monday 2 August 2021

This morning the Queensland Government announced the South East Queensland lockdown will extend until 4 pm on Sunday 8 August. At Flipside we have cancelled all our programs up to, and including, Sunday 8 August. We plan to resume training from Monday 9 August and will credit participants for sessions that have been affected by the lockdown.

This week we are reviewing our COVID protocols in line with new guidance from Queensland Health and with the Delta strain of the virus in mind. We will let you know about the changes before training re-commences.

The current outbreak has reached a number of Brisbane schools, at least four of our Flipside participants are students at, or have siblings at, affected schools. The participants we are aware of are all in in-home quarantine and have tested negative for the virus. But, the situation is changing quickly and it’s possible there are other contacts/participants/schools we are unaware of, so please remain vigilant, and get tested if you or your child display any symptoms. Please let us know as soon as you can if you, or your child, tests positive for COVID-19 or are in-home quarantine so we can in turn do our part and help keep our community informed. 

Monday 29th March 2021

From 5pm today, Greater Brisbane will go into a three-day lockdown with restrictions in place after cases of COVID-19 transmission were detected in the community.

FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY:

· Our pop-up space is closing from 1 pm today.

· We are cancelling week 10 of Term 1.

· Flipside’s core staff will keep working remotely.

· We will credit participants to make up for their missed class/es in Term 2.

For urgent queries regarding classes, contact Rebecca on info@flipsidecircus.org.au

We will continue to monitor the situation daily and let you know if there are any changes or updates. Please do get in touch if you have any questions or concerns. See QLD Health website for the most updated information on COVID regulations.

Friday 8th January 2021

As you should hopefully be aware greater Brisbane is in lockdown from 6pm Fri 8th to 6pm Mon 11th.

Here is a live list of alert locations, please check on it regularly and advise us if you have been in any listed locations, and take appropriate actions as per government advice.

https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/contact-tracing

Flipside Circus is following all our existing protocols, and following government instructions.

We will continue to monitor the situation daily and let you know if there are any changes or updates. Please do get in touch if you have any questions or concerns. See QLD Health website for the most updated information on COVID regulations.

Saturday 22nd August 2020

This morning additional COVID-19 restrictions were imposed in Queensland.

Gatherings at homes and outdoors have been restricted to 10 people in the Greater Brisbane area and to 30 in regional Queensland. Facilities with COVID-safe plans, which includes Flipside, can continue to operate with COVID plans and protocols in place. (please see below Flipside’s COVID Safe procedures)

We will continue operating for as long as it is safe to do so. The safety and health of our community are paramount, so please be especially vigilant about maintaining social distance and hygiene.

We also ask Flipside’s families and attendees:

• To drop off and pick up participants rather than waiting in the outdoor area at Flipside (excepting parents/carers of our younger participants).
• To not attend if you present any of these symptoms: fever, a cough, sore throat, fatigue, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of smell and/or taste.
• To not attend if you have asked to isolate due to contact with other new cases.

We will continue to monitor the situation daily and let you know if there are any changes or updates. Please do get in touch if you have any questions or concerns.

Tuesday 21st July 2020

We are so excited to welcome our students back for face-to-face classes at our pop-up circus training space. For the safety of our community and following all health advice from the Queensland and Australian governments, Flipside’ students, families and staff need to follow our COVID Safe procedures.

COVID SAFE PROCEDURES

Before class

• If you are unwell please do not come to class and inform us so we can allocate trainers accordingly.
• Leave jewellery and all non-essential items at home, we are striving to minimise items in the space.
• Please bring your own water bottle, filled. We will not have water refill facilities available, however, bottled water can be purchased from the front desk.
• Please arrive dressed and ready to train (COVID-19 restrictions mean we have to limit changing facilities at the pop-up circus training space). This will also minimise the use of toilets and communal areas.
• Be aware that under phase three of restrictions there is minimal physical contact/spotting in general, on aerial equipment and shared equipment.

When you arrive

• Look for the entrance signage to find your way to the front desk for check-in.
• Anyone presenting with a temperature, cold or flu symptoms or who is feeling unwell will be required to leave and not return until either cleared by testing or having the symptoms clear for 72 hours.
• We sure have missed each other but we must ask for no physical greetings such as hugging, kissing, handshaking etc. Air high fives all around.
• To minimise numbers in our space we ask that all students are to wait in the designated area (near the admin desk), before being guided inside by our trainers.
• For the moment we have to adopt a ‘drop and go’ policy for all classes (except our Giggles and Circus Play classes – where one parent/carer can remain on site for the class).
• No non-participants are allowed onto the training floor. There is a playground a few metres away from our space, lots of local cafes, and Hercules Street Park has a great playground and is only a 4 min walk away.
• Once you have checked in at the admin desk you will be directed to sanitise your hands and shown where to place your belongings. If your hands need further cleaning there is a handwashing station nearby.

During class

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing, dispose of tissues immediately after use and wash your hands or apply hand sanitiser.
• Avoid touching equipment or surfaces where practical.
• Maintain social distancing of 1.5m from others.
• Avoid contact with others.

Using shared equipment

• Wait until trainer has cleaned equipment.
• Wait to use equipment until the trainer has notified the student it is safe to touch.
• Sanitise hands after use of shared equipment.

Single-use equipment

• Do not share or swap equipment with other students.
• After use, place equipment back in the equipment box or at designated sanitation stations.

After class

• On your way out of the studio please sanitise your hands
• Do not leave personal items in the space, everything must be taken with you at the end of your class.
• Lost property to be discarded at the end of the day.

Manipulation packs

• At the first class, students will receive their manipulation packs on arrival, if this is required for their class.
• Students to provide a bag for equipment so that they can bring this to class each week.
• Please ensure that you wash the bag and clean equipment when you arrive home from class.

Wednesday 1 April 2020

While our public programs are closed, the Flipside team is busy working on some novel solutions to stay connected to our community and to make sure Flipside’s ready to bounce back into operation in the best way possible.

If anything COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of what we do. Our mission is to empower communities through circus. We are all about making connections, looking out for each other, teamwork, resilience, agility, and celebrating achievements. We’re also committed to supporting the circus sector, our artists, and our staff.

Our resilience and agility is being tested at the moment. We are disappointed that performances, our huge Queensland tour, and our regular programs have been cancelled or postponed, and the road ahead of us is hard. But, we are very fortunate. We are still here, we’re well, we’re supported by our community, and we are working to make the most of this disruption. We’re also a bit excited about some of the changes we will be announcing over the coming weeks.

Unfortunately, it has become clear that we will not be able to restart our regular programs in late April as we’d hoped – but we will be ready to restart our programs as soon as it’s safe to do so and now expect to restart classes in Term 3.

Over the next week or so we will be transitioning to more work from home and irregular hours on site. If you need to get in touch we will be diverting the phone lines as necessary and you can also reach us at info@flipsidecircus.org.au

Look after yourselves, stay safe.

Wednesday 18 March 2020

Like all of you, Flipside is working to respond to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation.

We recognise this affects the entire community and we will continue to keep our families informed, and follow all health advice from the Queensland and Australian governments.

For the safety of our community:

• Flipside remains open for classes and open training during its normal hours until Saturday 21 March. We have an increased cleaning and sanitation schedule in the training space;
• We are cancelling week 9 and week 10 of Term 1;
• We are cancelling our Easter holiday workshops;
• Term 2 classes will start one week later than usual on Monday 27 April;
• Flipside’s core staff will keep working at the office and remotely.

Classes make ups and refunds:

• Term 1 enrolled classes participants will be offered special makeup workshops to be organised in Term 2
• For those who have booked into our Easter school holiday program, we will be issuing refunds in the coming weeks.
• For urgent queries regarding classes, contact Rebecca on info@flipsidecircus.org.au

We are reviewing these arrangements daily based on the latest advice, and will update our website and social media.

To our wonderful families, thank you for your patience and compassion.

Thanks to our amazing trainers and artists. Thank you also to our donors for backing us up to keep empowering communities through circus; and to our staff, thank you for your tireless efforts.

It’s in our Flipside DNA to stay creative and keep unthinking the impossible. We encourage our community to balance this peculiar situation with creativity and transfer your circus skills in life skills with resilience, teamwork, hard work, trust, laughter and fun!

Monday 16 March 2020

Regarding COVID-19 we are working hard to ensure the safety of our community and we need your help.
Following are some of our requests for all people entering Flipside including our open training friends.

1. Do not come to Flipside if you have been instructed to self-isolate, have returned from overseas in the last 14 days, or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive or is awaiting test results for COVID-19
2. Stay home if you are feeling unwell – undertake distancing measures for any cold or flu symptoms
3. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or with the crook of your elbow and dispose tissues in the bin immediately
4. Wash your hands before coming into the floor

The health and wellbeing of you, our students, and our staff, remains our number one priority and we appreciate your continued support.