Pfizer's vaccine for kids aged 5-11 will be available from January 17, with 476,000 children eligible from that date. Photo / Bevan Conley
Pfizer's vaccine for kids aged 5-11 will be available from January 17, with 476,000 children eligible from that date. Photo / Bevan Conley
Some Whanganui school principals do not think the school year will be delayed despite fears not enough young people are vaccinated to return.
This comes after Dr Amanda Kvalsvig of the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington, warned the Government the return to school should be delayed until enough young people are vaccinated.
She said Omicron had triggered an avalanche of child cases overseas, at higher rates than previously seen in this pandemic.
Pfizer's vaccine for kids aged 5-11 would be available from January 17, with 476,000 children eligible from that date.
Children will be able to get their second dose eight weeks later, however, it can be safely shortened to a minimum of 21 days if needed.
Carlton School principal Gary Johnston said there had been considerable discussions among Whanganui principals regarding a potential delay to the school year.
"Personally, I feel comfortable with us opening and coming back. That is the general feeling from our school and our community.
Carlton School principal Gary Johnston isn't expecting the school year to be delayed. Photo / Logan Tutty
Johnston said delaying the return to school would create many issues for schools, teachers and parents alike.
"If you just close the schools, what happens with all the kids? That is a huge factor.
"In some ways, being at school is the safest environment. It is contained, there are all the procedures, staff are all vaccinated. I'm picking that most of the kids, especially over the first few weeks, will be vaccinated."
He said there are concerns for some of the children at Carlton about the effect of being away from school.
"It is incredibly hard [being away from school] for some people. Most of them have been okay but they have missed that social interaction.
"I'm not hearing anything but a few voices to delay the start of the year. The message seems to be this is our reality, let's move on and come up with productive and constructive ways to deal with it."
Whanganui Intermediate School principal Katherine Ellery said a delay would be detrimental to incoming students and would be quite a negative way to start the year.
"The first half of term one is all about building relationships. We are a little bit different. For us it is crucial because we only have the kids for two years.
"I don't even want to think about that."
Epidemiologist Kvalsvig said there were a number of key protections that needed to take place before sending children back to school.
That included high vaccination coverage among all school-aged children, effective ventilation in schools, high-grade masks, access to rapid antigen testing (RAT) and support to stay at home.
Ellery said it would be very disappointing if the Government was to mandate the vaccine for children.
"It is one thing to mandate adults to be vaccinated to keep a job, but it is another thing to make parents vaccinate their children. That is a huge ask.
"Most children will get vaccinated. I just can't see the uptake being as quick with children, and I think people will be careful for their little ones."
Education and Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins told the Herald he wanted kids back in class fulltime this year to avoid more disruption to their learning.
Cabinet was due to next review its plans when it met on January 17.
