Schools to return to normality 'earlier than expected' as vaccination rates surge, with youth leading the way

Students across the New England North West are preparing for the start of Term 4 next week and Ms Mitchell said youth vaccination rates have "skyrocketed" during the school holidays.

Across the state almost half of children aged 12 to 15 years old have had their first dose, despite having only had access for a matter of weeks.

Ms Mitchell said a ramped-up supply of Pfizer and the Moderna vaccine hitting pharmacies this week - both available for anybody older than 12 - have helped solve supply issues.

"I think earlier on it was a bit of a challenge for some of our younger people to access those vaccines," she said.

"But pleasingly what we've seen, particularly over the last few weeks, is the vaccination rates of young people skyrocket.

"I really feel confident with where we're at with supply, I think we're seeing more and more people getting vaccinated, which is really encouraging."

Local students returned to face-to-face learning late in Term 3, and on Thursday Ms Mitchell announced schools statewide will also return to the classroom on October 18, a week earlier than expected.

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But the roadmap back to classroom normality comes with conditions, one of those being mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all staff, and with the November 8 double dose deadline looming, those who can not provide a medical exemption will need to look for a new job.

Ms Mitchell said it will be a condition of employment for teachers to be vaccinated.

"We make no apologies for that. This is how we make sure that our schools are safe," she said.

Department of Education surveys indicate vaccination rates in teachers are largely in line with the wider community, with a double jab deadline in November.

"What it will mean is that they won't be able to come on the school site and take on that role again until they're had their second vaccination," she said.

"But if you're not fully vaccinated as a teacher by the 8th of November and the only reason is you have chosen not to do so, you will need to look for another position."

Vaccines have not been mandated for students.

Most schools across the north west are under Level 3 COVID restrictions, which include QR code check-ins and a ban on visitors, but that could soon change.

Ms Mitchell said the situation will continue to be monitored.

"We also want to look at how we can align what we're doing in schools with some of the freedoms that will come at 80 per cent [vaccination]," she said.

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