NT Covid: 967 students reported testing positive

Almost 1000 Territory public school students have reported as testing positive for Covid, as the NT government extends free RATs to the private sector.

STAFF at Territory private schools and childcare centres will be provided with three Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) a week.

An agreement between the NT government and Canberra, announced on Tuesday, will bring non-government schools and early learning centres into line with the current RAT availability at government schools.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced last month that all teachers and staff at NT government-run education facilities would receive three RATs a week.

The tests were to be administered if a staff member became symptomatic.

Lauren Moss. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

In a statement released on Tuesday, Education Minister Lauren Moss said the Commonwealth would foot half the bill to extend this measure to private schools and childcare centres.

“The health and safety of staff, students and young children is of utmost importance and providing rapid antigen tests for staff ensures safer workplaces,” Ms Moss said.

“We know we can’t eliminate Covid in our school and daycare environments but we are putting several measures in place to minimise the risk of transmission.

“This arrangement between us and the Australian Government removes the cost burden of RATs for non-government schools and early childhood centres.”

The NT government on Tuesday said 967 students and 217 teachers had tested positive since school returned.

Nearly 1000 students reported having Covid

ALMOST 1000 Territory public school students have been reported as having Covid-19.

There are 967 positive reported cases as of February 7, equating to 2.9 per cent of the public student population.

There were 217 teachers and non-teachers reported as having the virus thus far. A total 84 public schools (including preschools) have reported as Covid cases but does not mean students contracted the virus at school.

In response, 32 registered teachers have been deployed to support schools.

Student cases continue to rise

FEB 7: THE Territory has reported 670 cases of Covid-19 among school students.

Acting Health Minister Nicole Manison said the numbers equated to 2.7 per cent of the student population.

She said 176 staff members, teachers and non-teachers had also reported to have Covid.

Schools known to have reported cases include Darwin High School, Centralian Senior College, Nightcliff Primary School, Moil Primary and Tennant Creek High School.

No public schools have closed. In response to teachers testing positive, 20 registered teachers have been deployed to public schools across the NT.

Third of schools

A THIRD of Territory schools have recorded positive Covid cases in the first three days of the new term.

Health Minister Natasha Fyles said there had been 329 Territory students reported to their schools that they were Covid positive.

Ms Fyles told the ABC that 57 of the Territory’s 180 schools were impacted by the Covid cases among children.

“We have put in place a range of measures Department of Education have worked closely with Health to try and make our schools as safe as possible,” she said.

“But we’ve always acknowledged it’s going to be a disrupted school term.”

GALLERY: The Territory’s first day of school

VIEW GALLERY

Ms Fyles said she was one of the hundreds of Territory parents handed a letter by their children warning of a Covid case in their schools.

“(It’s) to remind parents that they really should pay attention to their children’s health,” she said.

“It is difficult because you see naturally return to school and those germs and viruses spread around so it might not be Covid.”

Before the start of the school term Australian Education Union NT secretary Adam Lampe said they were anticipating staff shortages and sicknesses as schools reopened.

“We’re just hoping it all doesn’t happen at the same time,” Mr Lampe said.

Mr Lampe said the union was anticipating some remote schools would close because of outbreaks, with isolated clusters in urban schools.

“We want schools open, kids have suffered from not having that face-to-face learning.”

EARLIER, WED: COVID-19 is rapidly spreading across Territory schools, with one institution reporting 32 cases within two days of opening.

The NT Education Department confirmed cases were being recorded across schools, with each institution managing staff and student response.

In a letter to parents and guardians on Tuesday, Darwin High School said 32 cases of Covid were thus far recorded: 29 students and three staff.

“Not all positive cases have attended school but students and staff who have been identified as sharing a class with positive cases have been notified,” the letter said.

The school said students who test positive cannot attend school, must isolate for seven days and be asymptomatic before returning to school.

Close contacts who are well and have no symptoms can continue attending school is they consent to a seven-day Rapid Antigen Test regime.

Nightcliff Primary School also advised parents an individual who had attended from January 31 had since tested positive.

“Our thoughts are with the individual and their family at this time and we wish them a speedy recovery,” the letter read.

“We strongly encourage you to monitor your children closely for symptoms.

“If your child is well, we look forward to seeing them at school to engage in face-to-face learning. If your child is showing symptoms of Covid-19, please keep them home and arrange for them to be tested.”

The NT News has sought further comment from the Education Department.

‘Low to no’ masks, gowns in remote communities: Unions

DIRE concerns have been raised for a lack of access to adequate and consistent supplies of personal protection equipment (PPE) in remote NT areas.

In a letter seen by the NT News, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation NT (ANMF NT), Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation NT (ASMOF NT) and United Workers Union NT (UWU NT) wrote to NT Health chief executive Frank Daly saying members of each union had reported low to no supplies of gowns and face masks, particularly N95 masks. The concerns were raised mainly around Central Australia.

“Covid-19 is in (the) majority of remote areas, and the clinical staff in those areas are planning their day on low to no supplies of gowns and masks and wearing N95 masks that do not fit properly, but wearing them as there is no other choice,” the letter read. “Many remote staff have not ever had fit-testing.”

The letter said doctors in some areas were having to buy their own P2/N95 masks.

Health Minister Natasha Fyles acknowledged a delay in supply distribution but said sufficient stocks were available for NT Health staff.

“There has been a delay in the delivery of some N95 stock on order to Central Australia due to freight companies impacted by Covid-19, extreme weather events and overseas supply chains,” she said. “More than 100,000 N95 masks are on order and we have sufficient supplies of PPE for NT Health staff, including masks, gowns and other PPE.”

The Territory government provides supplies to NT Health clinics in remote communities.

ASMOF NT branch president Dr Thomas Fowles said it was “absolutely critical” supplies were adequate and available. “The supply chains are clearly complex and difficult but you can’t have workers who don’t have appropriate equipment,” he said.

“If you lose a nurse to Covid in a remote area, you may have lost the only nurse. That is your health system that has collapsed.”

ANMF NT branch secretary Cath Hatcher questioned why more significant efforts weren’t being made to supply communities.

“Why can’t we use the national forces to drop supplies to Alice Springs and Darwin and the smaller areas around the NT?” she said.

“Why hasn’t there been some forward planning for everywhere, not just the hospitals or urban settings being stocked but remote settings?”

UWU NT branch secretary Erina Early added other emergency services were running low on stocks, criticising the government’s lack of support.

“This is a complete mess and requires urgent action,” she said.

Originally published as NT Covid: 967 students reported testing positive