How will schools ‘live with COVID’?

COVID-19 cases are falling but remain way higher than schools have ever dealt with. Schools will be “living with COVID”. But how?

What’s the latest on vaccination?

All staff are required to have received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine unless a medical exemption applies. Secondary students have good levels of vaccination and students aged 16 to 17 are now eligible for a booster. Primary school-aged students only qualified for the jab on January 10 and the government wants to get 90 per cent of that age group vaccinated by the end of February. As of Friday, 38 per cent of Victorians aged five to 11 – about 216,000 children – had received their first jab. State-run vaccination hubs are now offering paediatric jabs without a booking, and 15 primary schools are being used as vaccination hubs this weekend, plus another 15 next weekend.

Will schools have the special air purifiers by Monday?

Yes, 51,000 HEPA air filtration machines will be in all government and low-fee non-government schools by the start of term 1. Some 1500 were scheduled to be delivered on Friday, and the final 600 this weekend. (High-fee schools are expected to make their own arrangements).

What’s the plan for rapid antigen tests?

The government has promised six million free rapid antigen tests will be distributed to schools by Monday. These will be used in the first four weeks of term, when cases are expected to rise. Primary and secondary students and staff will be asked to test twice during a school week, while those at specialist schools will be asked to test each weekday. Students and staff must report any positive test results to their school, as well as the coronavirus hotline at 1800 675 398.

Will schools close?

School closures will only be considered as a “localised, short-term, last-resort option”. Principals will not decide – schools will close on the advice of the Health Department and with the approval of their regional director. Vulnerable children and the children of essential workers will still be able to attend while remote learning proceeds for specified classes or year levels.