Under the orange light setting students don't have to wear face masks in the classroom, but some schools are keeping mandates for now. File photo / Michael Craig
Some schools are sticking with face mask mandates in classrooms as kids return to their desks tomorrow after the term holidays.
Others would follow the Government's Covid-19 orange light recommendation to encourage, but not require, masks in class, but keep mask mandates for assemblies, tuck-shop queues and onsite health services.
And at least one group of Auckland schools have told their MP the Ministry of Education should be making the rules about masking in schools under orange - with more discussion expected when Auckland principals meet online with ministry officials this week.
But Education Minister Chris Hipkins said schools knew their communities best and would make the best decisions for them.
"Some schools are still dealing with community cases and masks are encouraged to help reduce the spread. Others have already been through a period of Covid-19 and are out the other side.
"Mask-wearing all day, every day in schools isn't practical in all cases, which is why it's encouraged, and not compulsory at orange."
But last week more than 150 doctors and scientists signed an open letter calling for a classroom mask mandate over winter.
They included epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker, who has previously expressed fears some children could unnecessarily end up with "debilitating" long Covid. Child deaths are rare and usually, but not always, affected those with serious underlying conditions.
Some schools, however, weren't waiting for a Government change of heart.
James Cook High School principal Grant McMillan said students would be required to wear masks in the classroom when term two started tomorrow.
Only physical education and dance lessons would be exempt.
"We're keeping things safe and sensible. We know these things work," McMillan said of masking and other measures, such as hand hygiene and ventilation, to stop the spread.
The decision was also about "supporting learning" because it made families feel safe sending their kids to the Manurewa school, McMillan said.
There were 7043 new cases of Covid-19 in the community yesterday, including 1989 in Auckland, with the national seven-day rolling average down from 8475 a week earlier.
There were 468 people in hospital and seven new deaths reported.
During the peak of Auckland's outbreak 70 per cent of his pupils and a quarter of staff were absent because they were sick, contacts, or trying to avoid the virus, McMillan said.
"We're reflecting [with the mask decision] what the community expects of us."
Manurewa High School was also sticking with masks in the classroom, likely all term two, principal Pete Jones said.
"[We're] generally taking a cautious approach based on our term one experiences and the community we serve."
South Auckland was hard hit in the August 2020, Delta and Omicron outbreaks, with almost half the country's active Covid-19 cases in mid-February in the Counties Manukau District Health Board area as Omicron swept across Auckland.
A month later Counties Manukau, which serves the country's largest Pacific population and second-largest Māori population, still accounted for one in five active cases, before infection peaks moved down the country.
Vaccination rates were also low for Māori and Pacific 5- to 11-year-olds, at 11 and 12.9 per cent double-dosed respectively, half the rate for all 5 to 11s.
Another Auckland school, Mt Eden's Balmoral, sent a newsletter to parents telling them masks would still need to be worn in the classroom by Year 4s and above, as had been required under the red traffic light setting.
And at Rhode St School in Hamilton compulsory mask use would remain "right through winter" for pupils, principal Shane Ngatai said.
"Parents are 100 per cent behind it."
Other measures, such as staggered breaks for different year groups, would also continue.
He and most staff had already caught Covid-19, but his adult daughter had been infected twice in six weeks, Ngatai said.
"Covid's still out there. I just want to protect my kids and my staff."
Reinfection data wasn't being collated in New Zealand but based on overseas outbreaks, while uncommon, people could get Omicron again, the Ministry of Health said last month.
In Christchurch, Hillmorton High's board of trustees was surveying parents before making a decision on masks.
Their use would be strongly encouraged until then, principal Ann Brokenshire said.
"I'll be wearing mine and if it was just up to me I'd say, 'Wear your mask'."
Others schools said they'd follow orange light guidance to encourage mask use in classrooms.
But Massey Primary principal Bruce Barnes said some schools weren't happy the decision was on them.
"We're caught in that dilemma where it's not compulsory, but it's recommended."
Massey staff would be required to wear masks in shared spaces, such as bathrooms, but not the classroom, although he recommended they do.
He and six other northwest Auckland principals recently told Upper Harbour MP Vanushi Walters the Ministry of Education should be making the rules, not schools.
He expected more discussion when city principals meet the ministry's Auckland office online on Thursday.
"We'd prefer there to be no interpretation [of rules], but [rather] 'this is it'."
Human rights lawyer Michael Bott said schools must provide a healthy and safe environment for students and staff under Education and Health and Safety at Work laws.
That could mean requiring masks in class, although any student who refused
still had a right to an education and would need accommodating elsewhere, Bott said.
The rules could be formally challenged through a judicial review.
"But against that you've got the [school's responsibility] to protect children and staff."
At New Zealand's largest school, 3250-student Rangitoto College on Auckland's North Shore, students would not have to mask up in the classroom, but would have to for assembly, principal Patrick Gale said.
Masks would also be "strongly recommended" in the classroom at East Auckland's Macleans College, but only required during assemblies, at the school health centre and the tuck shop - a retail setting, principal Steven Hargreaves said.
"If we insisted on masks [in class] teachers would spend an inordinate amount of time policing it, because students would quite rightly say they're not part of the [orange light] requirements."
Jean Batten Primary in Māngere would continue to supply masks at the gate to encourage their use, principal Nardi Leonard said.
"We'll share with the community the advantages of continuing with this practice. I honestly believe I won't have any push back."
Outside Auckland, Huntly College, Te Akau ki Papamoa School in Bay of Plenty, Kāpiti Coast's Paraparaumu College and Mairehau Primary in Christchurch would follow orange light guidance on masks while continuing other preventative measures, including ventilation.
"If we can avoid [infection] we should, but we've also got to live," Mairehau principal John Bangma said.
"It's about finding a balance."
Hipkins said all schools now have CO2 monitors to help ensure good ventilation levels in classrooms.
And more than 400 air cleaners have been sent to schools identifying a need, with all schools getting at least one air cleaner this term. The ventilation guidance for winter was also being updated.
"Orange does mean greater freedoms ... but Covid-19 remains in the community and as we head into winter we do have to be diligent."
That included wearing masks when practical - and indoors where required - staying home if sick and hand hygiene, he said.
"I [also] encourage parents to get their children vaccinated, as this is the best defence against getting really sick from the virus."
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