Professor Karina Butler:

It is a living document and things will change. The principles underlying it were to prevent morbidity and mortality and to protect those most at risk of infection and, consequently, adverse outcomes. The dominant themes are age, which almost overrides everything, and some underlying conditions.

I will address the first question, which is one that people reasonably ask, on whether teachers are important, given that they are mixing in schools. There are two factors to this, the first of which is how high the risk is for people who cannot maintain social distancing. Teachers have done a fantastic job in schools, in that they are able to maintain social distancing. They are young and in a situation where transmission is not as great a problem as it can be in other settings, but their risk of adverse outcomes is much lower than some of the people who are at higher risk. Second, as the vaccine rolls out and more becomes available, it will not seem like people are going from six to seven to eight to nine. Rather, it may all flow along seamlessly.

The key workers in the document are the logistics people who are essential to keep the vaccination programme up and running. If they were taken out through Covid or restrictions, the programme might fall. That is the type of thinking behind it. However, it is a living document and, as information comes out, elements might have to change. Did that answer the Senator's question?