Greens release Covid plan ahead of return to school
The Greens have outlined measures they would take to ease the burden of Covid in Tasmania, but the Premier says the party’s new plan copies what the government is already doing. LATEST STATISTICS >>
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The Greens have outlined measures they would take to ease the burden of Covid in Tasmania, but the Premier says the party’s new plan copies what the government is already doing.
Greens Health spokeswoman Dr Rosalie Woodruff said letting Covid-19 run rampant in Tasmania from December 15 has had “terrible consequences” on frontline Health staff, businesses, families preparing for the return to school, and coronavirus patients.
“We are in a far worse situation coming into 2022 than we were last year,” she said.
“The Greens have prepared a Covid response plan to show the government what the science, what the public health professionals and what the healthcare workforce demands is needed to keep Tasmanians safe.”
The party’s plan touts flattening the curve through fast-tracking vaccines for children, delaying the return to face-to-face schooling for under-12-year-olds until the cohort has been able to get double-vaxed, investing in better ventilation for schools and mandating third dose vaccinations for school staff and front-facing government employees.
The plan further pushes for high quality masks like N95 and P2 to be mandatory and free for school, aged care, child care and disability staff.
Rapid Antigen Tests would also be free under the framework, and grants would be available for businesses and organisations to upgrade ventilation.
But Premier Peter Gutwein said the Greens’ plan “largely copies the range of Government strategies that are currently in place”.
“Astonishingly, against nationally accepted Public Health advice that the best place for our students is back at our schools, the Greens have called for Tasmanian primary school students to be kept away from the classroom and effectively in a lockdown in their homes for potentially more than two months,” Mr Gutwein said.
Labor leader Rebecca White said her party would move for a parliamentary inquiry into the government’s response to Covid.
She called for an early resumption of parliament sittings so all MPs could work together in a committee against the virus.
“The Premier might want to desperately avoid scrutiny over his preparedness – or lack of – in the lead up to the border opening, but the fact is similar Covid committees have already been established federally and in South Australia,” Ms White said.
Mr Gutwein said Labor’s attacks were born out of desperation to stay relevant.
“We will continue to take our advice from the experts at Public Health - not politicians desperately seeking relevance.”
The state has 3921 active cases and 699 new cases.
Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff said Covid-19 care packs including two RATs, surgical face masks and health information were being given to families this week ahead of next week’s return to school.
Sorell School hosted a pop-up children’s vaccination clinic on Tuesday, with Covid-19 Emergency Coordination commander Dale Webster expecting some 200 children per day at each statewide site.
More than half of Tasmania’s five to 11-year-olds have received their first Covid vaccine dose, with Mr Webster saying some 52 per cent of the cohort had rolled up their sleeves as of Tuesday afternoon.
“We really want to have the children up there in that same level as adults because vaccination, general vaccination of our entire population, is our best protection,” he said.
West Coast residing children in that age bracket can access vaccines before school returns via an outreach program this week from the Royal Flying Doctor Service bus.
The RFDS vaccine service for rural children is at Strahan Primary School on Tuesday and will visit West Coast Community Services Hub, Queenstown on Wednesday and Thursday from 8.30am-3.30pm each day.
The RFDS bus will come to Zeehan Primary School 1-3.30pm on Thursday and Rosebery Neighbourhood House 8.30am-3.30pm on Friday.
For the latest Covid-19 updates visit coronavirus.tas.gov.au
Half of Tassie youngsters receive first Covid vaccine
One in two Tasmanian five to 11-year-olds have received their first Covid vaccine dose ahead of next week’s return to school.
A Tuesday morning post on the Department of Health Tasmania Facebook page said 49.92 per cent of the cohort had rolled up their sleeves, marking a roughly 3 per cent rise in 24 hours.
It comes as West Coast residing children in that age bracket can access vaccines via an outreach program this week from the Royal Flying Doctor Service bus.
Health said 39.35 per cent of the state’s adults have had their boosters.
The tally of five recent Covid deaths, one current ICU admission and 16 hospitalisations remains the same since Monday.
Eight of those hospitalisations concern patients treated specifically for coronavirus symptoms.
The state has 699 new cases and 3921 active cases – a marked decrease from 4903 active cases on Monday after Premier Peter Gutwein revealed an error in Covid statistics saw some cases counted twice.
The overall figure has been reduced by about 1300 cases to reflect the adjustment.
The RFDS vaccine service for rural children is at Strahan Primary School on Tuesday and will visit West Coast Community Services Hub, Queenstown on Wednesday and Thursday from 8.30am-3.30pm each day.
The RFDS bus will come to Zeehan Primary School 1-3.30pm on Thursday and Rosebery Neighbourhood House 8.30am-3.30pm on Friday.
For the latest Covid-19 updates visit coronavirus.tas.gov.au
‘Kids vax blitz’: Parents against the clock as school returns
A last-ditch effort to get as many schoolchildren vaccinated before they return to the classroom is underway, with a series of pop up clinics to be held across the state this week.
45.84 per cent of kids aged between five and 11 have already had their jabs but it’s hoped more roll up their sleeves with students heading back on February nine.
“We are encouraging people to walk up if you haven’t got a booking but it is convenient,” state growth Minister Roger Jaensch said.
“Take your kids and get them their first vaccination.”
Walk in clinics will be held in Bridgewater and South Launceston on Monday.
Ryan Downie said he didn’t hesitate to take his daughter, five year old Charlotte to get her vaccination at a walk in clinic in Clarence.
“We booked maybe two weeks ago, so it was pretty quick,” Mr Downie said
Mr Downie said he felt confident the kids would be safe at school.
“There’s obviously going to be some sort of risk but hopefully they’ve put in the right measures,” Mr Downie said.
Hannahbell Sward also took her kids, Bonnie (5) and Grace (7), to get their vaccines on Sunday.
“We’re doing what’s best for them, what’s safe so they can go back to school,” Ms Sward said.
“I knew they’d be booked up, this was as soon as we could get in so it’s about a month’s wait for us.
Ms Sward said the girls were looking forward to heading back to school.
“They’re really excited, we haven’t done much over the holidays so it will be good for them to go back,” she said.
“They were nervous but they said it didn’t hurt as much as they thought and they were happy to get stickers and lollipops,” Ms Sward said.
Meanwhile the Tasmanian Disability Education Reform Lobby founder Kristen Desmond said students with a disability would be put at risk if a vaccinate mandate was not introduced.
“Parents and carers should not be faced with the impossible choice between their child’s health or their child’s access to education,” Ms Desmond said.
“The time has come for the government to step in and ensure students with disability are safe in whatever school they attend.”
Mr Jaensch said there were no plans to introduce a mandate for catholic schools at this stage.
“We understand the catholic school system has a very high vaccination rate of 98 per cent or thereabouts for their staff right across the state,” Mr Jaensch said.
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