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It's back to class for hundreds of thousand of students today and principals worry Omicron will force some schools to close, meanwhile paediatricians want children to remain in class as long as possible. Strict safety measures have been mandated, including vaccinations, masks and the maintenance of a COVID-19 vaccination register. Dr Teuila Percival is a senior lecturer in paediatric health at the University of Auckland and a consultant paediatrician. She is part of a group of 10 paediatricians urging the government to keep schools open as long as possible, with closure only as a last resort. To discuss how well equipped teachers and principals are to deal with with Omicron rising and Delta still spreading in the community, Cherie Taylor-Patel is the new President of the New Zealand Principals Federation.
