Tasmanian Schools Association wants strong information with vaccine rollout

Pfizer declared its vaccine was safe for children in the age bracket on Monday, and the federal government invited the pharmaceutical giant to apply for TGA soon after.

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A spokesperson for the Tasmanian Health Department said they were aware of "international trials investigating the use of COVID-19 vaccines in younger children".

They said advice on whether the state would open up the vaccine schedule to the five-to-11 population would rely on information from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.

With the impending approval, members of the state's school community have called for better communication about what the rollout would look like for the age group.

With the National Plan 80 per cent target for easing restrictions likely to be achieved in Tasmania before November 2, Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations president Jared Dickason said he was anticipating further information about the rollout.

"There is going to have to be some movement towards a decision in that [mandatory vaccination] regard," he said.

"But our stance at the moment is that we need to defer to the health professionals in that area."

Mr Dickason said the mandating of vaccinations in the education community would need to encompass the whole system and come from the government.

"It's not up to individual schools to decide whether mandatory or not, the leadership will need to come in ... either way it's not going to be popular, thats why the government needs to be the one to make it," he said.

But prior to any decision about a mandatory vaccine for teacher, teacher aides, students, and other education system participants, Mr Dickason said there needed to be targeted and nuanced communication to the diverse school populations.

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"When we're trying to have timely information on vaccines, we're wanting to include everybody," he said.

"It's about ensuring the parents and the child themselves have the best information possible to make the correct decision for them. Then there needs to be a conversation about inclusiveness."

Mr Dickason's comments came in the wake of Australian Medical Association president Omar Korshid discussing the impact of COVID on children during a Senate hearing on Tuesday.

Dr Khorshid said he suspected a school-based vaccine program would take place next year.

"It will take that long for various approvals to come through and we need to have vaccine supply," he said.

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