Covid-19, Omicron: All you need to know about NSW schools reopening

Schools in New South Wales will no longer close when a case of Covid is detected and parents have been warned not to let their children stay over as thousands of children prepare to return to school classroom.

Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet made the announcement at a press conference on Sunday morning, confirming that teachers and pupils will receive two free rapid antigen tests each week for the first four weeks of the first term.

Face masks will also be mandatory for all teachers and high school students, and more than eight million surgical masks will be issued to schools.

Masks won't be required for elementary school kids, but Perrottet said they're "highly recommended" for kids ages 3 and up.

The mass surveillance testing program is the lynchpin of the prime minister's 'Covid-smart' plan, as the state recorded 20,324 infections and 34 deaths on Sunday.

The state government expects to have delivered over six million RATs to 3,000 public, private and faith-based schools in NSW by 26 January. In the photo: Students walking to school

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said face masks will be mandatory for all teachers and secondary students. Pictured: A student wearing a face mask at Fairvale High School

Other measures include vaccination mandates for all teachers and staff as the green light is given to go ahead with sports, music, assemblies and even school camps.

The state government hopes to have delivered more than six million RATs to 3,000 public, private and faith-based schools across New South Wales by January 26, even as the rest of Australia faces supply shortages.

The education minister said: "We have already had over four million departures, more than 6 million will leave on Tuesday night, in preparation for the return to school for students on February 1."

Trucks have been on the road 24 hours a day for the past week so schools can prepare to deliver home test kits to parents before the end of school holidays.

When asked why primary school children don't have to wear face masks at school, Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said it was a matter of practicality.

Mass surveillance testing program is the lynchpin of Dominic Perrottet's 'Covid-smart' return-to-school plan (Pictured: Firbank Grammar student receiving a COVID-19 rapid antigen test)

"Anyone who has kids knows it's hard to get them to keep their mask on all day," she explained.

"They spend a lot of time fiddling and playing with the skin and we question the effectiveness of that, so we've left the settings where we think they're appropriate."

He also said it would be difficult for schools to handle mask mandates with younger children.

Health Director Kerry Chant urged parents not to send their children to school if they have any symptoms.

"While community cases are high, we hope to see schools reflect what's happening in the community," he said.

"We will expect to see cases among children and school staff."

He also encouraged parents to "try and minimize" their children's activities, or connections with other children and sleepovers and other activities that could lead to infections.

Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet (pictured) unveiled his long-awaited back-to-school plan that will also make face masks mandatory for teachers and secondary school students, but primary school children will not be required to wear them.

Although only 24 percent of children between the ages of five and 11 have received a dose of the covid vaccine, Perrottet said January 28 is a "non-negotiable" start to the first trimester.

"Getting schools back on track from day one is incredibly important for kids and parents because we know that if schools don't get back on track, 5 percent of the workforce will disappear as well," he said yesterday.

"We know that this strain of the virus is highly transmissible but much less severe, but there's no doubt there will be challenges as we open schools."

"The alternative is to keep schools closed, but that's not what we're doing here in our state."

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The director of the National Center for Immunization Research and Surveillance, Professor Christine McCartney, said that children with Covid may not present any symptoms.

"If your child is infected with Covid, you can expect them to have no symptoms, they may not actually know it, or they will have mild symptoms, stuffy nose, fever, maybe a small cost," he said.

"That will be completely resolved with a few days of extra care, fluids, rest, and Panadol."

He also said that out of 17,500 cases last year, only three out of 100 children went to hospital with the virus, but two-thirds of those were because parents were infected with covid and were unable to care for their children at home. home.

Health Director Kerry Chant (pictured) urged parents not to send their children to school if they have any symptoms.

The non-mandatory testing program is set to run for the first four weeks of the first period before the regimen is reviewed and replenished.

Ms. Mitchell also said that parents who have a child starting their first day of kindergarten will be able to attend.

"This is an important day in your child's life that we want to make as normal as possible for you," she said.

Teachers and children in day care will also be offered RAT kits for testing twice a week.

Perrotett said the plan will allow children to enjoy their education safely, 'in a Covid-smart way.'

"Students learn best at school and this plan is designed to make that happen from the first day of term," the prime minister said.

Parents will be able to get their child's RAT kits in hand before school starts, but children do not need to be tested before returning.

Over the next few days, schools will begin contacting parents about how they can pick up their free tests.

The minimum standard required for RAT kits to be sold in Australia is 80 percent clinical sensitivity (a RAT test in use is shown here)

Craig Petersen, NSW Secondary Board Chairman or Chairman, said each school will come up with its own plan for distributing tests to parents with collection times likely to extend throughout this week.

‘I would be surprised if they all followed the same model; it will have to be located in the context of the school, so parents will need to pay attention to their school,' he said.

But parents have been warned that many schools may not get their RATs until later in the week.

Families can choose the days and times their child swabs at home with no requirement to record results.

There is also no penalty for parents who have not picked up their RATs from the school.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell has previously said the plan will allow children's lives to return to normal, but admitted there will be significant challenges in the coming year.

"Activities that students love, such as music, school sports and assemblies, will continue with settings similar to last year," he said.

"We are not back to normal yet and the start of the year will have its challenges, however these setups are a smart and confident start to the year," he said.

Other elements of the program include mandatory face masks and immunizations for all teachers and other school personnel.

The New South Wales government is also installing thousands of air purifiers to improve ventilation in classrooms.

A limited number of visitors will be allowed on school grounds at any one time, with only two parents per classroom, the new rule for kindergarten orientation.

The New South Wales government is also installing thousands of air purifiers to improve ventilation in classrooms.

But NSW Federation of Teachers president Angelo Gavrielatos said there are still significant risks to teachers and students during the ongoing Omicron outbreak and "nowhere is safe".

"Clearly we remain concerned about the health and safety of our students and their families and there is good reason for that," he told the Daily Telegraph.

‘How many other jobs require you to be in a workplace with literally hundreds of people, in some cases as many as 2,000, trapped in cramped, often stuffy classrooms with up to 30 people?

"We will closely monitor the impact of risk mitigation strategies with a view to reviewing and seeking urgent adjustments needed to ensure the greatest amount of protection can be offered to our students and staff."

NSW BACK TO SCHOOL PLAN

All students from Kindergarten to Year 12 will be tested for Covid twice a week using free RAT kits issued by their school before 1st February.

Parents will be able to schedule a time to pick up tests at home once they are contacted by their child's school.

Teachers and children in day care will also be offered RAT kits for testing twice a week.

Face masks are required for all teachers and staff who must also be fully vaccinated.

Secondary students will be required to wear face masks.

Primary school students will not be required to wear face coverings, but they will be 'highly recommended' for older Year 3 students.

Sports, music, assemblies and even school camps will be able to continue under the plan.

Dr. Kerry Chant discouraged parents from letting their children stay over.

Schools will be required to implement an enhanced cleaning regimen.

Some schools will be equipped with improved ventilation systems.