16 Nov 2021

Covid-19: Unvaccinated teachers will be put on unpaid leave - principal

From Morning Report, 6:08 am on 16 November 2021

An Auckland principal says any staff who don't comply with it will be placed on leave without pay. 

The Covid-19 vaccine mandate for health and education workers is now in force, but no one knows just how many staff have still not been vaccinated.

From today, no one can work in classrooms without being exempted or having had at least one dose of the vaccine.

Papatoetoe High principal Vaughan Couillault told Morning Report most of his staff have had at least one dose, and those who haven't may not be able to be deployed into other work.

"The reality is when kids are on site, the grownups really need to be as well. That could change with conversations that happen in the next few days, but my side would be leave without pay today."