With schools now tasked with contact tracing and COVID cases increasing, parents are feeling lost and concerned.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Thurgoona Public School, Holy Spirit in Lavington, Finley Public School and Border Christian College each announced cases yesterday.
Wodonga mum Naomi Peters was among parents directed to seek testing, with her and her children testing negative.
There are now four cases at their school, and they are isolating while awaiting advice about a separate exposure.
Ms Peters' 12-year-old son was vaccinated as soon as appointments opened and could only receive his second dose this week.
"He is one of the lucky ones in primary school; most other children in primary school are too young to be vaccinated," she said.
"Every day now, parents and carers of school-aged children in our Border community have to decide if they're willing to send their children to school or an extra-curricular activity.
"With lockdowns appearing to be a thing of the past, no longer are state governments making that decision for us."
Knowing the interconnectedness of the education community, Ms Peters decided to keep her son at home last Thursday after learning of cases at another school.
"Had we sent our son to school on the Thursday, he would have been finding out that he had become a primary close contact," she said.
"Most teachers are vaccinated, but the worry is those who are double vaccinated may still be turning up to work with only the slightest of symptoms without realising they are infected with COVID.
"My newly diagnosed teacher friend tells me that having COVID feels like they have hayfever with a scratchy throat ... they can see how easy it would be to miss it in a vaccinated person.
"People need to be extra vigilant to what feels like zero symptoms.
"Only now are parents being warned by Murrumbidgee Local Health District to consider limiting their children's extra-curricular activities, particularly indoor sport, and to reduce things like birthday parties and sleepovers."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Ms Peters said the schools were doing their utmost in difficult circumstances but without childhood inoculation, the situation remained difficult.
"When the school re-opens, we will have to return to deciding whether or not we are prepared to send our unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children out into the world ... not just worried for our children but for anyone our child interacts with," she said.
