Wellington Girls’ College Defies Ministry Advice, Sends Students Home Amid Measles Outbreak
Wellington Girls’ College is taking matters into its own hands after a confirmed measles case, telling hundreds of students to stay home — a move that goes against official guidance from the Ministry of Education and Health New Zealand.
Principal Julia Davidson confirmed that years 9, 10, and 11 students have been asked to remain home for three days while their vaccination records are checked. The decision follows confirmation that a student attended class and a school prize-giving at the Michael Fowler Centre last week while infected with measles.
The event, attended by hundreds, is now at the centre of a major contact-tracing operation. Davidson said she sought advice from Health NZ before holding the ceremony and was told it could proceed due to Wellington’s high immunisation rates.
“We talked it through and the board have talked it through, and we just want to be a bit more cautious,” Davidson said.
“We have staff who have babies under one, people who have family members who are compromised health-wise.”
The school has moved classes online for the affected year groups and cancelled all upcoming trips and events, though senior exams will continue as scheduled.
900 Students Identified as Close Contacts
The school has identified about 900 close contacts of the infected student. Health NZ and the Ministry of Education have both advised that classes can continue for vaccinated students, with only unvaccinated students required to isolate.
Health NZ’s executive national director Dr Nick Chamberlain said the agency could only offer advice — and the school ultimately made its own call.
“Restricting all large events could be overkill,” Chamberlain said. “We’re trying to balance the health requirements with the needs of students.”
He added that two doses of the MMR vaccine provide 99% immunity, calling it “incredibly safe and effective.”
Prime Minister Responds
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the government was taking the measles outbreak “incredibly seriously,” and urged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated.
“In a first world country, we shouldn’t be having measles outbreaks. We shouldn’t be having schools shut down,” Luxon said. “We need parents to do their part — get their kids vaccinated.”
Rising Cases and Vaccine Demand
There are currently 17 confirmed measles cases across Northland, Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington, and Nelson.
Pharmac reports a surge in demand for the MMR vaccine following the outbreak, as public health officials stress that immunisation remains the best protection against the highly contagious disease.