Health experts Nick Coatsworth and Kerryn Phelps clash over sending children back to school during Omicron wave

Former deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth has issued a brutal response to another high-profile doctor concerned about the return to school.

Professor Kerryn Phelps says children should not go to school for face-to-face learning during the height of the Omicron wave. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dylan Coker

Two Australian health experts have clashed over when children should return to school as the Omicron strain of Covid-19 continues to surge.

Former Australian Medical Association president Kerryn Phelps and former deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth are at loggerheads over the issue that has been causing anxiety among parents across the country.

Professor Phelps posted a video on social media, criticising the NSW government for wanting to send children back to school for day one of the school year and praising Queensland’s more “sensible” approach to hold off during the peak of the Omicron wave.

“Sending children back to the classroom in the peak of a pandemic makes absolutely no sense,” she said.

But Dr Coatsworth had a blunt response to her video.

“Ignore this individual,” he wrote.

Dr Nick Coatsworth has urged people to ignore the advice of Professor Kerryn Phelps. Picture: David Gray/Getty Images

Prof Phelps said classrooms were crowded and most were poorly ventilated.

“Primary school children are still mostly unvaccinated and there are supply issues with the vaccine,” she said.

The former Member for Wentworth and Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney said that meant most children would not be vaccinated before the start of the school term.

“The long-term implications of even mild Covid infection for a child, including long Covid, are still largely unknown,” she said.

“If children become sick, their caregivers have to stay home from work during their isolation period. If caregivers become sick, who looks after the sick children?”

Prof Phelps also noted that with the high numbers of Covid-19 in NSW, many teachers might have the virus or become close contacts, which would result in fewer teachers available in classrooms.

“There will be logistical problems getting all teachers to have a third dose before the start of term,” she said.

In a subsequent post, Dr Coatsworth elaborated on his position.

“The starting point is keeping children at school and starting the term as planned. All subsequent actions flow from that,” he said.

“Hybrid learning or remote learning needs to be resisted by Australian parents. There is no justification for it.”

Originally published as Health experts Nick Coatsworth and Kerryn Phelps clash over sending children back to school during Omicron wave