Daniel Andrews flags priority vaccine lanes for Year 12 students

Daniel Andrews has flagged priority lanes for older school students to help get them vaccinated before exams.

Victorian Year 12 VCE students will be given priority access for the Pfizer vaccine, with the intent to inoculate the entire cohort before they begin exams in October.

Teachers and VCE supervision staff will also be prioritised before exams start on October 4, but details as to how the government will implement the ambitious program are yet to be revealed.

On Thursday, the Premier revealed priority lanes would likely be a feature of the plan to be announced “quite soon”.

“We will make those announcements as soon as we can … that approach has worked whether it is with healthcare workers, aged care workers, lots of different priority cohorts have been able to get there vaccine that way, so what works,” Mr Andrews said.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that every single one of our 55 hubs would have priority lanes for students.

“We will engage with schools as well so that they can be as proactive as possible in groups of young people going and getting vaccinated at a particular place at a particular time.”

Mr Andrews said the government’s plan was to have all students aged 12 and older receive at least one dose of the Covid vaccine before they leave school at the end of the year.

“One jab is at least, the doctors tell us it reduces transmission by 50 to 60 per cent, that is a significant benefit,” he said.

“So many young people moving around throughout the whole summer, that is one of those risks that we can dramatically reduce.”

He said the government would get students back to school as soon as it was safe to do so.

Education Minister James Merlino said he wanted to make sure everyone aged 16 and over, but particularly year 12 students, was vaccinated before their exams start.

“There will be very strong communication to all students and staff across all our schools in Victoria, but a particular message to our Year 12 students, but also VCE staff … we also want them to get vaccinated,” he said.

“Please get vaccinated as soon as you’re able.”

jack.paynter@news.com.au