Call for Covid jabs, tests, masks, outdoor lessons, air purifiers when Vic schools return next week

Covid jabs, masks, RATs and air purifiers may once again be front and centre at Victorian schools, upon their return next week, as authorities try to keep a lid on the state’s surging virus wave.

Covid vaccinations, masks, RATs and air purifiers may once again be front and centre at Victorian schools, upon their return next week, as the state grapples with its latest virus wave.

The Victorian Department of Education sent schools advice on January 23, reminding them of measures they could take to reduce Covid transmission, the Herald Sun can reveal.

“As students head back to school next week, schools have been reminded to encourage all school community members to ensure Covid-19 vaccinations are up to date, ensure good ventilation and utilise supplied air purifiers, and to encourage staff and students to stay home if they have any symptoms, and to get tested and isolate,” a department spokesman said.

Air purifiers were rolled out across Victorian schools early in the pandemic. Picture: Tony Gough

“Schools are also able to order personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks and rapid antigen tests. This equipment is available to all schools free of charge.”

It comes as a peak Australian public policy body called for Victorian schools to not only ramp up ventilation and help clean air indoors by opening windows and using purifiers, but to also teach outdoors when feasible.

Health program director of the Melbourne-based Grattan Institute, Peter Breadon, said teaching outside “if it’s safe and appropriate”, opening up windows and using air purifiers, would be wise.

“On top of reducing transmission of Covid and other viruses, good ventilation also helps children perform better in school. And of course, if kids are sick, they should stay home,” he said.

The Grattan Institute is an Australian public policy think tank, conducting research and employing leading nonpartisan policy experts across a range of issues including health and education.

Victoria has experienced a grim Covid wave over the school summer holidays, with cases, hospitalisations and deaths rising sharply after Christmas as the mutant strain JN. 1 surged.

It comes as hundreds of Victorian teaching positions at public schools remain unfilled as term one fast approaches, making the prospect of existing staff falling ill with Covid and taking sick leave a potential nightmare for many schools.

Schools have been reminded by the Victorian Department of Education “to encourage all school community members to ensure Covid-19 vaccinations are up to date”. Picture: AFP

In the week to January 19, 294 Victorians were hospitalised with Covid and 157 people died over the 28-day reporting period.

The week before, to January 12, 369 Victorians were hospitalised and 143 people died over the reporting period.

Victoria’s chief health officer Dr Claire Looker has stressed Covid is airborne and to reduce the risk of catching or spreading it, Victorians should try and increase ventilation indoors as much as possible by opening windows and doors, and meeting outdoors whenever possible.

A highly-contagious bacteria which disproportionately impacts children has also risen in Australia recently.

Mycoplasma pneumonia, better known as “walking pneumonia”, causes a lung infection with symptoms including fever, a dry and persistent cough, and is spread by droplets from an infected person’s nose or throat.

It is most commonly spreads by coughing and sneezing.

China recently experienced an explosion in childhood with walking pneumonia, that caused hospitals to be overrun with sick children.