Nine PIMS-TS cases linked to Covid found in SA kids as new vaccination hubs open

The state’s top doctor reveals kids are presenting to hospital ‘daily’ with Covid and up to nine with a rare but serious inflammatory condition linked to the virus.

South Australia’s health chief says nine young children have been struck down by a rare condition after contracting Covid-19, as she reveals kids are presenting “daily” to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Professor Nicola Spurrier said up to nine cases of paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome, or PIMS-TS, had been identified by WHC doctors, with 96 cases reported in Australia.

SA Health says the rare but potentially life-threatening condition emerges two to six weeks after contracting Covid.

Children may have shock-like symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, rash, headaches and altered conscious states.

According to SA Health, coronary artery aneurysms occur in approximately 15 per cent of cases and ICU admission may be required.

Two cases of PIMS-TS were notified in early March.

Professor Spurrier said the condition could be prevented through vaccination and urged parents to attend one of 40 new vaccination hubs set to be launched across the state.

“For families thinking about vaccinating your children you might think, ‘Oh well, with Omicron it’s not so severe’ but we do know that many children can get more severe illness and indeed we have admissions to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital on a daily basis,” she said.

“So if you are thinking as a parent, ‘Why would I do this?’ there’s really quite a few reason why vaccinating your children against COVID is very important.”

Reinfection on the rise

Hundreds of extra Covid-19 patients have been reinfected with Omicron, new figures show.

New SA Health data shows 1256 patients have reported having coronavirus twice, which is 358 more cases than was recorded a fortnight ago. The state’s active case load is now 26,634 after 3796 new cases were reported in SA on Sunday.

From May 27, the Covid-19 vaccination primary school program will open in 10 schools per week on Fridays and Saturdays over four weeks - and will return nine weeks later to provide the second dose.

Friday vaccinations will be available for the participating school community including students and their families, while Saturdays will be open to the wider community.

Education minister Blair Boyer said there were 149,000 children in SA aged 5 to 11.

Rosie Lister, 13, has caught Covid-19 twice – with her luckier siblings, Felix Lister, 14, Sukie Lister, 10 and Niccolo Paine, 12. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“Of the 40, 10 of those are going to be in regional South Australia, six in non-government schools.”

For now, masks will remain in schools but the success of the vaccination hubs in the coming weeks could influence when the rules are relaxed.

“We will review mask requirements at the end of the four weeks,” said Mr Boyer.

“Vaccination hubs like this will help us make a decision around removing masks if they work to get that vaccination rate up.

“We have provision for as many students who want to put up their arm and their parents. We don’t want to turn away any willing person.”

Figures from Friday May 20 show there was 3173 students and 589 staff with covid across South Australian schools, compared to 5620 students and 847 staff at the end of term one.

There will also be a Community Vaccination Day on Saturday, May 28 at council offices in Salisbury, Campbelltown, Playford, Tea Tree Gully, Port Adelaide, West Torrens, Adelaide Plains, Port Pirie and Barossa and also at Australian Red Cross locations in the city, Port Augusta, Whyalla, Port Lincoln, Berri and Port Pirie.

Chief health officer professor Nicola Spurrier said that “children vaccination numbers are lagging” and there are many reasons why covid can be severe in children.

“Things such as respiratory conditions like asthma, heart conditions, neurological problems including epilepsy. There are many children with these other health problems and we know that vaccinating those children is really critically important,” she said.

Among those who have been reinfected is Year 8 Glenunga International High School student Rosie Lister, 13, who is double vaccinated.

She fell sick after a sibling in the Christmas school holidays and was struck down with a sore throat, nasty cough and fever.

She bounced back through term 1 without any lasting problems apart from some fatigue.

But then in a stroke of misfortune, she contracted it again from a sibling, after a family Gold Coast holiday.

While her second positive result “sucks”, she is more annoyed that one of her siblings has yet to contract Covid at all.

“I feel fine but I am just getting tired now,” she said.

“Walking up four flights of stairs at school is a bit more hard. It is a bit frustrating but I can’t control it.”

In South Australia, 93 per cent of the population aged 12 and above have had two doses of the vaccine, but only 71 per cent have had a booster dose.

Only 59 per cent of SA children aged 5 to 11 have had their first Covid dose.

The Communicable Disease Control Branch uses national rules for a reinfection 90 days between each bout.

Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said authorities would monitor rates, which are fewer than 1 per cent of the 461,271 overall cases.

“We know the overall reinfection rate is quite low as we haven’t yet had long successive waves of infection in the community,” she said.

The state government will today reveal school mass vaccination clinic sites that will launch within a fortnight to boost sluggish jab rates for children aged five to 12.

Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrie. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Primary schools chosen include Burton, in Adelaide’s northwest, Playford, in the outer north, and Grange, in the western suburbs.

Goodwood, in the inner south, Marryatville, in the east, and Littlehampton in the Adelaide Hills will also host hubs from May 27 for the following four weeks.

Nurses will then return nine weeks later to administer a second dose.

Anyone from a school’s community can attend on Fridays including older siblings but parents must be present to give consent.

Sites will open to the wider community on Saturdays.

Latest data shows 62,513, or 42 per cent, of eligible children are doubled jabbed.

Education Minister Blair Boyer said the program would help reduce anxiety.

“Having a vaccination clinic at their school – an environment children are familiar with – can help,” he said.

SA Health is also hosting a community vaccination day on Saturday, May 28, with free public transport.