Fears over school plans

Booster push as cases fall, but teachers wary

AS THE number of reported Covid cases in Tasmania continues to fall, the government is urging people to get their booster, while Labor and the teachers’ union express ongoing concerns about the safety of students at school.

The number of daily cases dropped by 101 to 625 on Sunday, but the number of people in hospital rose to 39, with 16 patients being specifically treated for Covid.

Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff said three people were being treated in intensive care with two being ventilated. He was pleased that a Covid outbreak at the Mersey Community Hospital at Latrobe was now controlled, with no new cases overnight.

“While it is positive to see case numbers continue to decline, we are not through this wave yet,” Mr Rockliff said.

“The evidence remains clear that the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones is to get vaccinated.

“Just over 32 per cent of

Tasmanians have now had their booster shot.”

Mr Rockliff said just over 33 per cent of 5-11-year-olds had received their first dose.

Labor’s education spokesman Josh Willie said there were still concerns from parents about how contact tracing would be done when schools return on February 9, and the wearing of masks.

“With hundreds of schools and over 90,000 students across Tasmania, will Public Health have the resources to stay on top of contact-tracing or will it be left to our already stretched education workforce?” he said.

“If a student takes off a mask, for example, will they be given another mask?”

Premier Peter Gutwein last week said students in schools, early learning centres and childcare would not be defined as close contacts unless there were five or more cases in a single classroom within a seven-day period.

“If a positive case is detected, schools will notify parents and carers that a case has been detected in the classroom, and to monitor for symptoms,” Mr Gutwein said.

“All students should be at school unless they are unwell or have symptoms of Covid, or have medical advice that they shouldn’t attend.”

Mr Rockliff said: “Josh Willie has spent several months trying to scare parents ahead of schools returning, which is disappointing and counterproductive.”

Australian Education Union president David Genford has disputed Education Department figures that there are 1700 teachers who are available to work if teachers get Covid.

“I don’t think that figure is accurate. I spoke to one principal who is still six teachers short and that is not normal,” he said.

“We already had a teacher shortage and Covid has not eased that.

“Many older teachers are apprehensive at returning to school and thinking about early retirement.”