As schools reopen, paediatric vaccine rates remain low, principal warns

Tuesday, 1 February 2022

Before the Pfizer and Janssen vaccines were given provisional approval by Medsafe, they underwent extensive testing.

As Omicron spreads across the country it’s only a matter of time before it reaches the classroom, the president of Te Akatea New Zealand Māori Principals’ Association says.

Children are being welcomed back to school from this week, putting pressure on school staff to ensure their facilities are Covid-safe.

But differences in family values, resources to ensure public health guidelines are followed by schools and students, and low vaccination rates for tamariki Māori are causing concerns for kura across the nation, Te Akatea president Bruce Jepsen said.

“We’re in the trenches now. For teachers and educators, we are facilitating in such a way in teaching and learning that we never expected.”

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From left, siblings Mikaia Manukau, 10, and Neihana Manukau, 7, get their first vaccinations as soon as they were eligible (file photo).

Vaccinations for those aged 12 to 15 have been open since August 2021 – with those aged 16 and above joining them in September – but paediatric vaccinations were launched on January 17.

Te Akatea Māori Principals' Association president Bruce Jepsen says it will be a huge challenge to protect and educate children as Covid-19 spread through the community.

Tamariki will be able to receive their second jab eight weeks after their first from March 14, but with another two weeks needed to gain the vaccine’s full protection, that sets them back until March 28.

And that’s if every child aged 5 to 11 received their first vaccine on day one – which the majority have not.

Across Aotearoa, 36 per cent of children eligible for Pfizer’s paediatric vaccination, or 476,294 children, have had their first dose, Ministry of Health figures show.

For tamariki Māori, those figures were 19 per cent and 115,562, respectively.

Jepsen, who is also the principal at Te Akau ki Pāpāmoa in Bay of Plenty, said he had been fielding calls from teachers across the motu about the best ways to protect their tamariki Māori from Covid while continuing their education.

Schools are a melting pot for all parts of the community and, as children begin to mix, it will be difficult to keep the virus contained, Jepsen said.

“Comparatively, [Māori] are still that group that is most at risk, and that risk just transfers into the classroom.”

There were calls to postpone the reopening of schools or keep them online for the first term, but Jepsen said it was too late for that now.

“That ship sailed. If the Government were going to do that then they needed to do it back then. Now it’s going to be more about the response.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the Government has modelling in place for up to 50,000 cases of Omicron a day.

“We have a massive responsibility, and it’s different to what it’s ever been before. We need to ensure our tamariki are safe and provide whānau with support.”

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Jepsen said he knew of many schools that were struggling to meet the Government's requirements for ventilation, but were trying to work around it as best they could so parents could head back to work and children could keep up with their education.

It was important schools were able to provide a safe space so parents would feel comfortable when their children returned, he said.

In Auckland, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Manurewa principal Daphne Mika said her school resumed on Tuesday.

Out of her 62 students, 10 were yet to return to school, but Mika assured parents the classrooms were well ventilated and there were systems in place to make social distancing possible.

“We were a bit scared and nervous and everything above, but we did our assembly outside and sat students with their whānau.”

Bathroom breaks were being scheduled per class to avoid cross-contamination, only students and staff were allowed on the grounds, and masks were being worn by students aged 8 and older as per ministry guidelines, but some students were struggling with the new rules, Mika said.

“The older kids aren’t used to wearing masks all the time and are pulling them down from their noses.”

However, overall, it had been a good start back, Mika said.

“They’re just so happy to be around each other because we’ve been closed since August.”

Counties Manukau District Health Board had 278 active cases in the community, with 876 others recorded across the nation in the past 21 days, ministry figures showed.

CORRECTION: Children will be eligible for their second Covid-19 vaccination eight weeks after their first, not three weeks as was originally reported (February 2, 8.30am.)