More than 2,000 students at Dubbo in regional New South Wales have been isolating at home after being confirmed as close or casual contacts.
Mother-of-three Natalie Fox has spent the past 14 days at home, with her children, after her daughter Paityn, 7, became a casual contact at Orana Heights Public School.
"We're currently in isolation because my daughter was first a casual contact and then a close contact two times," Mrs Fox said.
"We found out on the 12th, I think, about [contact on the] 5th, and then we found out about three days ago about [the further contact on the] 12th."
The family was meant to come out of isolation today but — because her daughter was notified that she was a close contact — they'll have to stay at home "until next Wednesday night".
Mrs Fox said she had only just started a new casual job doing admininistration and accounting work, meaning she has had to work from home.
"It's … do-able, but hard," she said.
"There's constant interruptions, screaming. They're just full-on."
On Monday, the family will have their third COVID-19 tests and are hoping for the same, negative results.
"They do not like it at all, but we have to more or less hold them down to have it done. There's lots of screaming," Mrs Fox said.
Students in isolation
Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders said "more than 98 per cent of students" from schools impacted by COVID-19 were learning from home.
He provided details on how many students and teachers have had to go into isolation:
- Dubbo South Public School, 6 students and 5 staff
- Dubbo Delroy Campus, 125 students and 5 staff
- Buninyong Public School, 203 students and 44 staff
- Mian School, 3 students and 11 staff
- Mudgee High School, 138 students and 13 staff
Although these schools have since re-opened, three of the worst-impacted schools remain closed:
- Dubbo West Public School, 452 students and 74 staff
- Orana Heights, 672 students and 74 staff
- Dubbo South Campus, 716 students and 113 staff
"Dubbo South Public School is back open, Dubbo Delroy Campus, Buninyong Public School, Mian School and Mudgee High School [are] all operational again from today if you need their help."
Cases among young people
There are now 167 active cases of COVID-19 in the Western NSW Local Health District, after 21 in Dubbo and four in Mudgee were announced today.
The LHD's chief executive, Scott McLachlan, said the vast majority of cases were "between 10 and 35 years old".
"Vaccinations are now available for people over the age of 12 who are Aboriginal or who have significant, chronic and ongoing (sic) health issues," he said.
"So, I would really encourage young people, and old, [that] it's time to get vaccinated. The time is now."
