Health
1News

Teachers urged to get jab as Govt mulls mandatory vaccination

October 6, 2021

Education Minister Chris Hipkins says he’s reviewing advice around further Covid-19 precautions for schools.

Teachers are being encouraged to get vaccinated as Government mulls the possibility of making it mandatory for the education workforce.  

Education and Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has been in talks with health officials and representatives of the education sector over the past few days. 

"We've had some consultation, in recent days really, with our education workforce and representatives of the education workforce," he said.  

Hipkins has been seeking advice on whether health measures, including making the jab mandatory, to reduce risks for some of the population's most vulnerable. 

"If I was a teacher, I'd certainly be making sure I was getting the first dose of the vaccine at this point." 

Primary school

Under the Ministry of Health's guidelines, only children aged 12 and over can be vaccinated, leaving a large number of youth unprotected. 

At this stage, schools in Auckland are expected to reopen following the school holidays on October 18, pending health advice as part of the Level 3 roadmap.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern clarified on Tuesday that Hipkins has been looking in to the requirements around face masks, testing and vaccinations for staff and how it can be improved. 

"We are very conscious of the need to provide parents, students and children with as much safety as we can," she said. 

"The Ministry of Education is looking at the suite of tools available to us; how are vaccinations used in an education environment, how do we use masks and how do we do testing."

That advice is set to be presented to Cabinet at the next meeting, with a decision on changes to Covid-19 requirements for the education workforce to come in the days that follow. 

SHARE ME

More Stories