26 September 2023

Vaccine shots first for school workers

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The Department of Health is making school staff and childcare workers priority targets for COVID-19 vaccinations in the wake of the current outbreak of the Delta strain.

The Department said the workers would be added to the 1B priority list for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Delta strain of the virus had taken a heavy toll on schools and the best possible protection for staff and students was essential.

“This strain of the virus moves incredibly quickly and we need to be just as fast in our response,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“The Queensland Chief Health Officer has approved that any individual working in an early learning, primary, secondary or special school is now in the high-risk priority group.”

She said this included childcare educators, teachers, teacher aides, management and administrative staff, grounds-keepers, cleaners, locum staff, regular volunteers and other ancillary school and early learning support staff.

“This will mean they are given priority for vaccinations against COVID-19,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“As we have done every step of the way, we will listen to the expert advice of the Chief Health Officer to keep Queenslanders safe — and that’s what we are doing now.

“The Chief Health Officer has also added fly-in-fly-out, freight and distribution centre workers to the high-risk priority group.”

The Premier said the changes, coupled with the remarkable work of Queenslanders during the lockdown, would bolster efforts to get on top of the outbreak.

Minister for Health, Yvette D’Ath said the unpredictability of the Delta strain had changed the game when it came to schools.

“Our recent outbreak spread in schools and through school contacts,” Ms D’Ath said.

“We want to do everything we can to protect staff working in school and in childcare centres,” she said.

Minister for Education, Grace Grace encouraged all education workers to get vaccinated, across both State and non-State schools.

“I am also asking schools to be as flexible as possible when it comes to assisting staff to access leave to attend their vaccination appointments,” Ms Grace said.

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