Victorian schools earmarked for Covid-19 vaccine rollout

Vaccines will be made available to Victorian kids as young as 12 by the end of this year. Find out where they’ll be able to get the jab.

Victorian kids are set to receive the Covid-19 jab at schools across the state before the end of term four.

The state government is keen to deliver the school-based vaccination program, with authorities hoping to give students aged 12 and over at least one dose this year.

Vaccine chief Lieutenant General John Frewen is confident there will be enough doses available to kickstart the rollout in December before the summer school break.

The Herald Sun can also reveal Australia’s expert immunisation panel is monitoring international trials and research to decide whether kids aged five to 11 — and then those aged six months to four — should be vaccinated against Covid-19.

The panel is expected to approve the Pfizer jab for all children aged 12 to 15 within a month.

“When the Commonwealth can secure sufficient supply to expand eligibility criteria for the vaccine, we are open to exploring school-based vaccination programs to protect Victorian kids,” Education Minister James Merlino said.

Students at Victorian high schools already receive the meningococcal, human papillomavirus and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis jabs through on-site vaccination programs.

Parents’ groups, epidemiologists and unions have all backed the plan to protect children, as well as their teachers and families.

Lieutenant General John Frewen (centre) on a zoom meeting with state premiers and chief ministers. Picture: Getty Images

Under the national Covid-19 vaccine campaign, led by General Frewen, school vaccination programs would begin shots in early December.

Asked on Wednesday if there was enough supply this year for all children, or only those aged over 12, General Frewen said “pending the medical advice, we are focusing on the 12 to 15 year olds”.

“But I’m confident again that we will have adequate supplies for at least a first dose for every person in Australia who needs it,” he said.

Andrew Neal, principal of Bacchus Marsh Grammar said his school — which battled a major Covid outbreak in recent weeks — had already started planning for on-site vaccinations.

“I do not think we are far off a situation in which those who are vaccinated have freedoms that are simply not going to be possible for those who have not been vaccinated,” Mr Neal said.

“Parental consent would need to be gained before any child was vaccinated.

“Vaccination is the right thing to do, and we should make that easier for the majority not the vocal minority.”

A staff member prepares Pfizer vaccine doses. Picture: Getty Images

Deakin University chair of epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett said vaccinating students should be considered to “help protect schools from the disruption of having an outbreak”.

She said school-based programs would make access easy, but parents would need the right information to make a fully informed decision.

Deb James, Independent Education Union general secretary said she believed schools were appropriate venues for vaccinations when sanctioned by health authorities.

“The IEU wants the entire school community, and the nation, to be vaccinated as soon as possible but supports following the health advice of the professionals,” Ms James said.

School sector groups including Independent Schools Victoria, the Australian Education Union Victoria Branch and the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria said schools supported following health advice.

Parents Victoria executive officer Gail McHardy said some parents were keen to give priority to secondary school students, after all essential workers including teachers were vaccinated.

But she said the jury was out on vaccinating under 12s, as medical trials continued.

“Young people have been identified as potentially at greater risk from Delta variant than previous strains,” she said.

“It’s all a matter of who gets prioritised in the community. If Australia had enough appropriate vaccines for all, it wouldn't be the same issue.”

James Merlino received his second Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine in June. Picture: AAP Image

A Health Department spokesman confirmed ATAGI was “continuing to review the evidence for use in all other children aged 12-15 years and will make additional recommendations to the Australian government in the coming months”.

“When TGA approves a vaccine for use in Australia, ATAGI considers information provided by the vaccine sponsor and reviews local and international safety data and epidemiology to inform its development of independent advice to government,” he said.

A Doherty Institute report released this week found immunising schoolchildren aged 12-15 as an early priority group would “not materially change” overall transmission of the virus.

Since the pandemic began, Victorian students have spent more than 20 weeks learning from home during the state’s five lockdowns.

Mr Merlino said more than 60 per cent of Victorian teachers were already eligible for the vaccine, and encouraged everyone to get the jab to protect themselves and the community, and keep Victoria open.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said immunocompromised children aged 12-15, those in remote communities and of Indigenous heritage would start receiving Pfizer vaccines next week.

Scott Morrison said the government was taking the vaccination of children “extremely seriously” and would rely on the medical advice to give families and children peace of mind.

“One of the primary ways you can prevent this Covid virus getting to children is the vaccination of their parents,” the Prime Minister said.