COVID-19 vaccines, rapid tests to get NSW's Year 12s back in classroom - from ABC News

Year 12s in Sydney's COVID-19 hotspots will be offered the Pfizer vaccine, and rapid testing will be rolled out in schools in a bid to salvage this year's HSC exams.

The NSW government has unveiled a blueprint to get Year 12 students back into the classroom in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour by Monday, August 16.

All students in those areas have been learning remotely for the past three weeks, as NSW battles a worsening outbreak of the Delta COVID-19 outbreak.

LIVE UPDATES: Read our blog for the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic

There's evidence the particularly infectious variant poses more of a threat to children and young people than previous strains.

"It does appear that younger people are getting more seriously ill with Delta than with previous strains," said epidemiologist Alexandra Martiniuk from the University of Sydney.

Tens of thousands of Year 12 students living in the Sydney local government areas (LGAs) at the epicentre of the outbreak in Sydney's west and south-west will be offered the Pfizer vaccine.

The NSW government will redirect about 40,000 Pfizer jabs from regional areas to make this happen.

"I don't think anybody would begrudge us doing anything we can to get year 12 students safely back to schools," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said. 

Vaccines will be available to students living in the LGAs of Cumberland, Canterbury-Bankstown, Blacktown, Liverpool, Fairfield, Parramatta, Campbelltown and Georges River.

Read more about the vaccine rollout:

• WA has the worst vaccination rate among states for aged care workers, and the deadline is looming

• COVID-19 vaccines, rapid tests to get NSW's Year 12s back in classroom

Year 12 students aged between 16 and 18 will be eligible.

"Delta is different to any other strain of COVID," the Premier said.

"The one positive that we do have is that the vaccine is working.'

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) — which regulates medicine in Australia — has approved the use of Pfizer in children aged 12 and older.  

Rapid antigen testing in schools

The government has announced it's working with suppliers to introduce rapid antigen testing at schools in time for the return of Year 12 students. 

"We accept that it's not as accurate as other types of testing but at least it does give us an indication of where cases might be," Ms Berejiklian said.

"I understand it is more likely to provide a positive test than not, which is not a bad thing."

Rapid antigen tests are being used in many countries, including the USA, Canada and the UK, in conjunction with other more accurate laboratory testing. 

The tests involve taking a nose swab which is then screened for proteins found on the surface of the virus with results available within minutes.

Professor Martiniuk said while polymerase (PCR) tests which are carried out in a laboratory gave more accurate results, there was a role to play for rapid testing.

"Rapid antigen tests are cheaper and quicker and can be done at the point of care compared to the PCR tests currently being used," she said. 

But on the downside, said Professor Martiniuk, rapid antigen tests are less sensitive than PCR tests and this means rapid antigen tests can miss some infections.

"So it risks someone thinking they are fine and healthy when in actual fact the test was not accurate, and they truly have COVID," she said. 

Younger students staying home

Remote learning will continue for at least another four weeks for all other school students in greater Sydney and its surrounds.

The government has not announced plans at this stage to vaccinate younger students despite calls from some experts for children to be vaccinated.

"If we want to care for them and keep their health as good as it is now, we need to give them a vaccine," said epidemiologist Marylouise McLaws, a member of the NSW COVID Infection Prevention and Control Taskforce.

Professor McLaws said early in the pandemic, children were less likely to become infected and those who did appeared to suffer no symptoms.

But she said the arrival of Delta strain meant "that isn't the case anymore".

Earlier this month, health authorities in the UK announced children aged between 12 and 15 at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 due to underlying medical conditions would  be offered the Pfizer vaccine.

Schools will remain open for children of essential workers but the government has appealed to parents to keep their children at home where possible amid fears the Delta variant is spreading more quickly among children and young people than previous strains.

HSC exams to go ahead

HSC written exams had already been delayed for a week and are due to start on October 19.

The deadline for all major works has also been extended for two weeks.

The NSW Education Department said students will receive their  HSC results, ATAR and university offers as scheduled on December 17 despite the delays. 

Meanwhile, more than 10,000 teachers and school staff in south-west Sydney have been given priority access to vaccines.

For the past two weeks, a vaccination hub at Fairfield Showground has been offering vaccines to teachers, administration staff and support workers at government and non-government schools in the Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool LGAs. 

"I encourage all staff who are eligible for the vaccine to get vaccinated as soon as possible and for those in impacted LGAs to take full advantage of this priority access," said Education Minister Sarah Mitchell.