COVID-19 in WA: Parents urged to get children vaccinated as data reveals one-in-ten hospitalisations are kids

One-in-ten of WA’s hospitalised COVID cases are in primary school, prompting a plea for parents to get their children jabbed over the Easter break to help lift the low juvenile vaccination rate. Over the past seven days, 16,296 schoolchildren across WA tested positive for COVID, including 8793 from private schools and 7503 at government schools. Another 1535 teachers caught the virus in the past week, with outbreaks detected in 918 schools — 660 public and 258 private. The latest data shows 593 West Australians with COVID were admitted to hospital between March 28 and April 3, with 9.6 per cent of these patients aged under 10. WA Health does not provide a breakdown of whether people were hospitalised “with COVID” or “from COVID”. Most children experience mild, cold-like symptoms, but some have suffered gastro-like illnesses. Despite the vaccine being available to young kids since January 10, only 57 per cent of children aged five to 11 have received their first dose and just 30 per cent have been double-dosed. The speed of the rollout slowed too, with just 100 first doses given to youngsters on Thursday. In a bid to boost the low rate, a pop-up clinic opens at Kings Park on Saturday. Education Minister Sue Ellery appealed to the more than 40 per cent of young families that had so far shunned the jab for their children to reconsider that stance. “There are three things in schools that make a difference and vaccination is number one, ventilation matters as well and how we manage staff,” she said. “I would really encourage parents to use the school holidays as an opportunity to get your children who are eligible to be vaccinated. “This will make a significant difference, not just for your child if they acquired the virus, but for everyone else in your family, for everyone else in that child’s classroom. “I encourage those who are eligible but haven’t done it yet, please get your children vaccinated.” Catholic Education WA yesterday became entangled in a COVID reporting bungle when it was revealed there were 1100 positive rapid antigen test results dated back to March 11 that had been collected by Catholic Education WA but not reported. A misunderstanding from some families meant the positive RATs were reported to the organisation’s online system, but not to WA Health — as required by law. Mark McGowan ruled out expanding the State’s sweeping vaccine mandate to include children. “It’s a choice for parents I just urge parents to take advantage of the opportunity,” the Premier said. “All over the world, the countries that have higher vaccination rates have had the best outcomes. That goes for Australia as well and especially for Western Australia. “There’s a reason we have come through the last two years with the best outcome of anywhere in the world and one of those reasons is our high vaccination levels.”