Vaccine mandate for teachers; Plan to reopen schools; North West hospitals deal with outbreak

The deadline for Tasmanian teachers to prove they are fully vaccinated is just weeks away as the state government reveals a plan to reopen schools across the state. LATEST >>

TASMANIAN teachers will have to prove they are fully vaccinated by February 8 to return to the classroom.

Education Department deputy secretary Jenny Burgess, who is responsible for Covid planning in schools, said it was unclear how many teachers had not been fully vaccinated so they had been sent a reminder.

Ms Burgess said the department also was working on a workforce strategy to ensure there were enough staff in schools should Covid infections become widespread.

“As we start to return to school and the focus shifts, we’ve sent out a memo to remind them (teachers) that they need to have their details and their information uploaded by February 8, to be able to continue to teach in our schools,” she said.

“This is not just about teachers, it’s about all of the staff in schools as well.

“We’ve done our modelling on what we think the Covid impact will be on our staff through the first few weeks of schooling.

“So we will be detailing individual predictive approaches to our schools so that we make sure that we know that we’ve got (staff for) hard to staff schools and have the strategies and approaches in place to make sure that they can stay open,”

Deputy Director of Public Health Emergency Operations Centre Dr Julie Graham during the COVID update at Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

Springfield Gardens Primary School principal Nadine Davey said she was confident schools had done enough planning to cope with Covid and that students with a disability would be supported when school resumed.

“We won’t stop Covid but I am comfortable with what we have put in place,” she said.

“For a small school of 230 students, I have a third of my school population with a learning plan, and we have asked ourselves which of our students are we really going to have to focus on to ensure they are supported.”

Deputy director of Public Health Dr Julie Graham said classes and schools would be assessed on a case by case basis if there were large outbreaks of Covid.

“There is no one fast rule that is for every classroom and Public Health will work closely with the school if there are increasing numbers of cases,” she said.

Acting Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said he understood the anxiety of parents and teachers.

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Linda Higginson

He said covid safe practices had already been implemented in schools since the pandemic began.

“I have every confidence in our teaching workforce that they can adapt, and they can change to the circumstances that are presented to them over the course of the first five weeks of term,” he said.

Greens health spokeswoman Dr Rosalie Woodruff said the plan was one “to keep schools open, not a plan to keep schools safe”.

REVEALED: Tasmania’s plan to reopen schools

TASMANIAN school students will be able to access two rapid antigen tests each per week if required as authorities try to put a lid on Covid-19 ahead of the start of the school year.

Thousands of registered relief teachers and recently-retired staff will also be canvassed in an effort to build up the numbers of available educators.

The state government has also confirmed that students infected with Covid-19 will have to stay home for at least seven days and quarantine alongside their families, mirroring current isolation requirements statewide.

Parents will be provided with a back to school Covid care package, that will include two tests to use if their child develops virus symptoms.

Premier Peter Gutwein confirmed government schools would recommence on February 9 as planned.

Mr Gutwein acknowledged many parents may be anxious about sending their children back to school, but said face-to-face learning was best for their education.

“We want to ensure the continuity of our children’s learning. This is important to our kids’ wellbeing,’’ he said.

Covid Presser

“There is no doubt schools are the best place for students ... all students should be at school unless they are unwell, or have Covid-19, or have medical advice they should not attend.”

If a positive case is detected, schools will be tasked to notify parents and carers, and monitor their children for symptoms.

Outbreak management plans have also been put in place, with a class outbreak deemed so when five or more cases occur in students and staff from a class within a seven-day period.

Increased cleaning, staggered breaks, outdoor learning and increased ventilation are also part of the government’s plan to keep schools Covid-safe.

Virtual learning approaches are also being adopted to help students required to stay home.

The wearing of provided surgical face masks will be mandatory for secondary school students in Years 7-12, while masks will be available for students in kindergarten-Year 6 who want to wear them.

Deputy director of Public Health, Scott McKeown, said protect children against Covid in schools required multiple strategies.

Dr McKeown said these included recommending students and staff did not attend school when sick, or if they were a confirmed positive case or close contact.

Mr Gutwein said there was no shortage of masks or rapid antigen tests for use in schools, with access to 1.6 million masks in stock and 1.5 million RATs available.

More than 4500 air purifiers will be distributed to schools that do not have adequate ventilation to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, parents required to isolate with their children may be able to access grants of up to $750.

NW hospitals deal with Covid outbreak as Tassie’s cases rise

THE Covid-19 outbreak at Latrobe’s Mersey Community Hospital has escalated with the State Health Commander saying both it and the North West Regional Hospital in Burnie are now operating at level three of their infection management plans.

Commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said the escalation to level three would help manage patients infected with COVID-19 on one ward at the Mersey.

As of Wednesday night, there were 10 Covid-19 cases at the hospital, eight patients and two staff members.

The cases are linked to a medical ward and all patients on the ward and more than 100 staff members working in the area have received rapid antigen tests as a precaution.

Overnight, 927 new cases were recorded but the number of people in hospital climbed.

There are now 31 patients in hospital with Covid-19. Fourteen are being treated specifically for virus symptoms.

The number in ICU has climbed to three.

The new infections take the total number of active cases to 6127. More than 16,000 Tasmanians have been released from isolation after recovering from the virus.

Ms Morgan-Wicks said the escalation of the Covid-19 management plan at the Mersey would allow it to deliver on its core functions including emergency department services.

“This escalation will mean that the NWRH and MCH are both operating at COVID-19 escalation level three. This escalation only applies to the NWRH and MCH sites,” she said.

“Under the escalation, the MCH will review affected units, with a reduction in outpatient activity to ensure the continuation of emergency and inpatient care. Where possible, outpatient services will move to telehealth. This will transition over coming days.

“Surgical services will also be reviewed to ensure inpatient services are maintained. The MCH will aim to continue same-day surgery and endoscopy and will review overnight elective surgical cases on a case-by-case basis.

“Emergency department activity will be reviewed to maximise access.

“Strategies will be implemented to increase workforce capacity, including a request for staff to reconsider leave arrangements, centralised notification of Covid concerns, and cancellation of all non-critical meetings.”

A ward remains closed to visitors as part of the current outbreak response.

“While we understand these changes can cause concern amongst staff and our community, we reassure staff that there are many challenges that we have faced before and will continue to face in the future. Should you have any concerns, please raise these through your line managers,” Ms Morgan-Wicks said.

“As State Health Commander, I would like to acknowledge the efforts and dedication of all our hardworking Tasmanian Health Service staff. I am confident that as a workforce, it will again meet the challenges that this pandemic presents and continue to offer the very best in health care to all Tasmanians.”