The Department of Education has issued a toolkit to NSW schools to help encourage parents and carers to get their children vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19.
Announcing its toolkit, the Department said the flu was teaming up with COVID-19 to present a double threat to the smooth operation of schools and early childhood services over the winter months.
“NSW Health advise that, given the low exposure to flu over the past two years, there is a higher risk of transmission of both flu and COVID-19 across communities with the onset of winter,” the Department said.
“This is particularly the case for our early childhood services where infants may never have been exposed to a flu virus,” it said.
“Influenza and COVID-19 are already circulating in the community, so it’s important that parents don’t put off vaccination.”
The Department said its new toolkit contained a variety of promotional materials including posters, social media tiles and other communication materials promoting vaccination as the frontline of defence against the viruses.
It said everyone aged five years and over was recommended to get a COVID-19 vaccine, and everyone aged six months and older was recommended to get a flu jab.
“Vaccinations are free and available through GPs and pharmacies, and you can get both vaccines at the same time.”
The Department said it was confident that schools would remain operational over winter due to a high level of vaccination combined with the COVID-smart settings it introduced at the end of Term 1.
Further information on COVID-19 vaccination for children can be accessed on the NSW Health website at this PS News link and on flu shots at this link.
