How do we make schools safer for our kids?

Here at Emily Writes Weekly we often do ‘Explainers’ on important issues that can be hard to get your head around. We get an expert (or experts) in and ask the basic questions so we can educate ourselves and work out what’s going on across the motu. I’m always learning alongside you - and I hope you find these explainers helpful.

Today, I want to talk about Covid 19. Yeah, I know - nobody wants to talk about it. But we need to. Personally, when my son last caught Covid 19 he was hospitalised. It was awful. But I’ve really struggled on how to keep him safe when it feels impossible. Especially with winter coming up.

Aotearoa Covid Action have great ideas for keeping our kids safe. As Term Two starts, I talked to Tara Forde about what we can do to make our schools and early childhood education centres (ECE) safer for our tamariki and teachers.

First of all, what made you want to volunteer with Covid Action Aotearoa? Why is this important to you?

Tara: My kids are four and two and basically, I’m sick of being sick all the time.. We use an awesome ECE and they still bring home all the bugs.hen we all get sick.

When my youngest was born, it was such a relief to get my then two-year-old back to ECE. Unfortunately in the first week back he brought home Covid and we all got sick. It shattered us. And it doesn’t have to be this way.

There are things we can do to not get sick so often, but it will take working together and structural change to make it happen. The fight for clean air is building on so many other public health advancements we have, like clean water and washing hands.

I really believe that what happens in schools impacts our community wellbeing. Everyone benefits from schools and ECEs being healthier.

Let’s talk about Covid 19. It’s still really dangerous right?

I’m worried about catching Covid and the long-term consequences of that. Each Covid infection increases the chances of messing up our immune system. I feel like we probably all know people that have, and are, suffering from long Covid. The brain fog, fatigue, gut problems, headaches, lethargy and so on.

I want to take my tamariki tramping. I want them to enjoy the amazing outdoors and use their bodies for adventures. I want them to have choice and agency over their futures, and Covid threatens that.

What options are there for our tamariki now? I’ve really struggled to be able to access boosters for my child - when he’s got an underlying health condition that should qualify him for a booster. I’ve been told kids just aren’t getting boosters - is that right?

Lots of kids probably aren’t even getting the one dose they can get.

For the people that do want to stay up to date, you have to fit pretty narrow criteria. Our children just aren’t making the list. It pains me that so many vaccines are getting thrown out, unused, when I desperately want the people I love to have that protection. We now know that getting Covid once is no protection from getting it again. I know people who have had Covid seven or eight times!

Some GPs may write scripts for kids with underlying health conditions, and I think it is worth asking for that. Give the kids a chance, let them get vaccinated.

What about teachers? I am feeling so much for teachers who are repeatedly getting Covid 19. It feels like we’re not valuing them at all.

are in poorly ventilated classrooms with high concentrations of people. We know airborne diseases spread in these conditions. We have worked with our education unions like NZEI and PPTA to ensure our asks are aligned with the advocacy work they do in negotiating collective agreements and workplace health and safety.

It’s so hard to get Rapid Antigen Tests - they’re really expensive. Because my husband is a teacher aide we spend a fortune on tests. What does Covid Action Aotearoa want to see implemented around testing?

We are pushing for free RATs. The easier the government makes it to access and use RATs the more people will use them. Then, people can make an informed decision about how long to isolate.

I also want to talk about sick leave - we have obviously used up all of my husband’s sick leave with sick kids, but it feels unfair that teachers and teacher aides don’t get extra sick leave to cope with their exposure to Covid and other communicable viruses and diseases. What do you think?

If the government is serious about recruiting more teachers, the first thing they could do is look after the educators they already have. I know people want to continue to work with our tamariki, but you can’t do that if you are constantly run down. I encourage all educators to talk to their union and raise their concerns about exposure to airborne diseases. There are so many actions we could be taking and it would reduce transmission. One Aotearoa study found we could easily reduce 500,000 missed school day absences, and that doesn't include teachers or early childhood education

Our kids and their teachers are not fodder to be chewed up and spat out when they get sick or can’t work. I just want to say kia kaha to all the parents out there dreading this coming winter. I see you. Being sick is not a reflection of your worth or a moral failing. Society is letting us down and we can do so much better.

Amen to that. I understand you have an open letter being published today. Can you tell us about it?

Through Aotearoa Covid Action, we have worked with so many people and organisations that also want clean air. We decided to make it official by formalising our asks. We have put together an open letter that we are launching this week. We are now asking people to sign it as a petition.

Our asks are simple:

• Ensuring each school and ECE can monitor air quality
• Supplying technology to clean the air and reduce viral load
• Granting access to all New Zealanders six months and older, to up-to-date vaccines, regular boosters and antivirals
• Reintroducing free Rapid Antigen Tests
• Providing extra sick leave for teachers, school support staff, including teacher aides, and caregivers
• Recognising Long Covid as an occupational hazard for educators
• Recognising and better supporting children and educators with Long Covid through more research into its effects, diagnosis, and treatment.

We would love more people to sign our petition, join our group, and work with their school or ECE to get clean air.

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