ABOUT half of Ballarat primary school children have received a COVID-19 jab before returning to the classroom this week.
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This is clear above the average for the five to 11-year-old cohort across the state with 43.7 per cent of Victorians in this age group having started vaccinations against the deadly virus.
Victoria's health department confirmed the figures on Monday, albeit in a dynamic scenario with an increasing number of children rolling up their sleeves since the paediatric Pfizer jabs were made widely available on January 10.
Health authorities across the state have been bracing for a surge in Omicron cases with students returning to classrooms, and face-to-face learning, with schools proving to be a COVID-19 spreading hot spot.
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Air purifiers and masks in classrooms, physical distancing, hygiene, rapid antigen tests for home and staggered drop-off and pick-up times are among the suite of measures Victorian schools are using to best protect youngsters and help keep them learning in the classroom.
The Courier understands there is a general lag in junior jabs in regional areas while Ballarat is ahead of the curve.
Ballarat Health Services has long made clear strong vaccination rates across the region have been key to keeping this city's hospitalisation rates low, through varying COVID-19 waves.
But Ballarat appears to be lagging on the booster front with the latest Victorian health department data by postcodes, released late last week, showing about 40 per cent of eligible residents had had their third jab.
The Victorian government dropped the interval to three months for boosters a fortnight ago amid soaring COVID-19 case numbers.
BHS hosted a Super Sunday blitz at the weekend to help lift the city's booster rate.
Grampians Public Health Unit medical director Rob Grenfell said vaccinating children against COVID-19 was vital.
Dr Grenfell, who is also the CSIRO's health and biosecurity director, has previously told The Courier that while children did not typically experience the virus to the same severity as adults, they were dangerous spreaders when infected.
Grampians Public Health Unit has also been working with Ballarat schools on improving access to COVID-19 jabs to youngsters. Juniors are recommended to have two jabs, eight weeks apart.
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