"SPORADIC" COVID-19 cases might be popping up in schools and early childcare centres but the response system is under control, Grampians Public Health Unit leader assures.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With families set to delve into the second week of face-to-face classes this year, Professor Rosemary Aldrich said educators were well-prepared for the virus to emerge and to control its spread so schools could remain open.
Professor Aldrich said Grampians Public Health Unit had worked closely with the region's state, independent, Catholic and boarding schools ahead of the school year in readiness and to best keep students and staff safe.
And it was about finding the right balance.
"We're making sure we're as responsive as possible and also weighing up measures we can do keeping in mind we need to not be too controlling or too overbearing because children need to stay at school as much as possible," Professor Aldrich said.
"This is versus making sure we're minimising the risk of COVID to the extent that we can - mindful that especially in vaccinated children it will be a very benign condition."
Professor Aldrich confirmed more than 50 per cent of children aged five to 11 years old had now received their first COVID-19 jab, four weeks since the junior program launched.
Ballarat was also clear above the state average of 43.7 per cent of this cohort by early last week.
Grampians Public Health Unit operations director Robyn Wilson said her team would also step up moves into pop-up vaccination programs in participating schools and school-related programs from this week. Ballarat Specialist School was first to receive junior jabs on site last week.
The region's health leaders have continually warned that while the virus typical presented with mild symptoms in children, youngsters were effective spreaders of the virus. Vaccinations helped to slow this spread.
READ MORE:
Ballarat recorded more than 230 new COVID-19 infections at the weekend while the active case tally more than doubled to exceed 1000. It was unclear why the sudden jump in active cases but usually this is due to a lag in data reporting.
Sixteen and 17 year olds got the green light last week for boosters if they had received their second dose more than three months ago.
Children aged five to 11 can receive a second dose after eight weeks.
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Courier, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ballarat's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.
