Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner has announced new measures designed to keep schools operating while limiting the spread of the Omicron variant among students.
"We can't completely remove the risk of COVID," he said at a press conference on Friday.
"It's here and we are living with it. Of course, it will be in some of our schools as well. There's just no getting around that. Our plan is about making sure that happens as little as possible."
So, what's the plan?
Given COVID-19 can spread easily through the air, the first layer of protection is having proper air ventilation in classrooms.
Mr Gunner said air-conditioning units at all Territory government schools had been audited to ensure they provided adequate circulation.
He said 500 portable air purifiers would be delivered to schools that did not have central air-conditioning systems, especially schools in remote areas.
Which students need to wear face masks?
Students aged eight years and older are strongly encouraged to wear face masks inside classrooms and in other indoor school settings.
Mr Gunner said that included all students in year three and up.
"It won't be compulsory for our primary school students, but strongly encouraged, in addition to all the other measures we have in place," Mr Gunner said.
An indoor mask mandate remains in place for people aged 12 and older, meaning middle and senior school students must continue to wear face masks indoors while on campus.
Who should be vaccinated?
As part of the NT's widespread vaccine mandate, all teachers and school members must be fully vaccinated in order for them to return to work.
From the start of term one, all students aged five and older will be encouraged to get their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
"The more students who are vaccinated, the safer our schools will be," Mr Gunner said.
So far, 84 per cent of Territory children aged 12 to 15 had received at least one jab, and 71 per cent had received a second shot, Mr Gunner said.
Nearly a quarter of children aged five to 11 had received their first dose, he said.
What are the testing rules for teachers?
Remote school staff will be provided with three rapid antigen tests (RATs) the week before they return to remote communities.
They must take the first test on the day they are due to travel to the community, and they can only leave if they return a negative result.
They must then take another test on day three and again on day six.
"This is an extra precautionary measure recognising the vulnerability of some of our remote communities," Mr Gunner said.
From the beginning of term one, all other government school staff will be offered three rapid antigen tests a week to use as necessary.
Unlike remote school staff, it will not be compulsory for government school teachers to test themselves on particular days.
The tests will simply be available to use whenever it is appropriate.
What happens if a student or teacher tests positive to COVID-19?
Students or school staff members who test positive to coronavirus must isolate for seven days, as per the requirement for all Territorians.
"Whether you're a student or a teacher, a positive result means seven days at home," Mr Gunner said.
Each school is required to have a COVID safety supervisor and a school response action plan, which covers procedures for managing a positive case on school grounds, as well as notifying families, carers and the school community.
Mr Gunner said all parents would be notified when a positive case was detected at school, and if their child was a close contact.
Primary school students who are close contacts will not be required to take a rapid antigen test, and they can keep coming to school as long as they do not have symptoms.
"The latest health advice indicates that rapid tests are not as sensitive for asymptomatic young children," Mr Gunner said.
It is up to parents to closely monitor their child's symptoms, and keep their child at home and get them tested if they start to appear sick.
This rule also applies to children attending childcare centres and preschools.
Middle and senior school students who are close contacts of a case can keep going to school as long as they do not have symptoms.
They will, however, be required to take a daily rapid antigen test every morning before school starts for the following week.
The same rules apply for students who are close contacts of a COVID-positive household member.
Schools will provide rapid antigen tests to parents to give their kids, Mr Gunner said.
Schools will also have remote learning packs and online learning programs available for students who need to temporarily isolate, either because they have COVID-19 or their parent or carer wants to keep them at home.
"If you are concerned and you want to keep your child away from school for a short period, we will continue to support their learning in the home as best we can," Mr Gunner said.
Teachers who are close contacts, but are not symptomatic, can continue to teach in school on the following conditions:
- Their work is considered essential at that time
- They continue to be asymptomatic
- They take a daily rapid antigen test for seven days.
Mr Gunner said individual schools could decide whether a staff member was considered "essential" at any given time.
He said the Education Department had registered teachers on stand-by to fill in for staff when needed during the term.
The new changes apply to government schools only.
However, Mr Gunner said the NT government was consulting with churches and non-government schools
The new COVID-19 measures will be assessed after the first four weeks of term one.
