Covid-19 vaccination rollout begins in schools to boost low jab rates among SA teenagers as Labor proposes a major mental health boost in schools

Thousands of students and teachers will start getting the Covid-19 vaccine at school from today to tackle sluggish jab rates. It comes as Labor proposes a boost to mental health resources in schools.

Thousands of teenagers and teachers will be vaccinated in coming weeks amid a fresh vaccination push in schools to help boost sluggish jab rates among youngsters.

The state government will on Monday launch the first tranche of eight schools across Adelaide, which will be allocated up to 6300 vials for teenagers 12 years and older.

The push comes as mandatory mask use in high schools will also be scrapped from Monday.

Between 300 and 1600 doses will be administered this week at Para Hills, Paralowie, Underdale, Woodville, Findon, Charles Campbell, Reynella East and St Columba College, at Andrews Farm.

It comes as the opposition proposes a major boost to mental health resources in South Australian schools in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

If elected, Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas has committed to investing $50 million to fund a central pool of 100 specialists in child mental health and learning challenges to go into schools.

The pool will include child psychologists, speech and occupational therapists, social workers, youth workers and learning support specialists.

Deputy Labor Leader Susan Close said one student struggling can affect others in the class, creating disruptions for others’ learning.

“Teachers are reporting that the prevalence of poor mental health challenges among primary and secondary school students is increasing and is exacerbated by the anxiety brought on by Covid,” Ms Close said.

The Education Department, on advice from SA Health, said the school vaccine rollout will then expand to six other metro schools as well as regional areas including in Mt Gambier, Clare, Kadina, Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Renmark, Loxton and Port Augusta.

Authorities hope to administer more than 30,000 doses over the next month to 24 schools – mostly public but also Catholic colleges – as pop-up mobile clinics visit each allocated school twice.

Nurses Mayuko Homma and Jessica Simpson with Para Hills High School Year 10 students Josie and Peerapat, as Covid vaccines are rolled out in schools from Monday. Picture: Tom Huntley

Authorities say the focus is on schools in areas with low jab rates, especially across the northern suburbs and regional areas.

Teachers and staff will also be able to get vaccinated. Many sites will be available to the community on weekends.

Marquees on school ovals will be used to administer the vaccines, while officials have also grappled with consent issues for teenagers 16-18.

Education Department chief executive Rick Persse said the rollout will help boost rates.

“We’re very pleased to help facilitate the rollout to students and local families,” he said.

“The feedback from schools so far has been that their families are keen to take up the option.

“We are confident the hubs will definitely play a part in pushing up the vaccination rate and taking the state toward a level that helps keep us safe when Covid-19 does return to South Australia.”

South Australia has the third worst double-jab rate of people aged 12 to 15 in the country, with 13 per cent of teens vaccinated, according to the latest federal government data.

In comparison more than half of the ACT’s 12-15 year-olds are fully vaccinated, closely followed by NSW at nearly 50 per cent.

Only Tasmania, at 12.33 per cent, and WA, at 10.26 per cent are worse than SA.

Commonwealth data shows the worst council areas of fully vaccinated residents are Playford and Salisbury along with regional areas such as the Riverland and South East.

Almost 62 per cent of SA adults older than 16 are fully vaccinated while the 80 per cent first dose target will be hit within days.

Para Hills High School principal Alina Page welcomed the new drive.

“It’s great for the school that vaccinations are accessible and convenient,” she said.

“The response from our families has been very strong and I know many of the students are actually looking forward to rolling up their sleeves.”