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

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.

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.

Here’s what you need to know about the latest developments.

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.

Read more: COVID-19 vaccines, rapid tests to get NSW’s Year 12s back in classroom

*** This article has been archived for your research. The original version from David Icke can be found here ***