Carrying books, not virus at school

Children are not contracting or spreading the coronavirus in the state’s schools, fresh research by NSW Health reveals.

Children are not contracting or spreading the coronavirus in the state’s schools, fresh research by NSW Health reveals.

The findings put extra pressure on Premier Gladys Berejiklian to get the public education system fully operational, as is happening in other states.

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy on Friday revealed NSW Health “have just done a very large study looking at some infections that have occurred in the school setting and have tested a lot of children (and) have not found evidence that children are transmitting this virus in schools.”

NSW Health refused to release the research, with a spokesman saying it was “currently being finalised”.

Professor Murphy said international evidence pointed to the same conclusions as the NSW findings.

There’s extra pressure on Premier Gladys Berejiklian to get the public education system fully operational.

Both he and Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there was a need to protect teachers – but not from their students.

To that end, Mr Morrison said there had been “confirmation that the four square metre rule, and the 1.5m distancing between students during classroom activities is not appropriate and not required.

“I can’t be more clear than that,” the PM said.

He was speaking after a meeting of the National Cabinet, including Ms Berejiklian, who earlier this week said NSW students would be returning for only one day a week from week three, with additional days added during the term.

In contrast, schools in Western Australia and South Australia are preparing to accept all students from the start of the term.

Before the National Cabinet meeting, Ms Berejiklian said NSW’s staggered plan was aimed at making sure there weren’t “further disruptions for the next 12 months”.

Earlier this week, the Premier said the teachers’ union’s “position would be to have the children remaining online indefinitely”.

The NSW Teachers Federation immediately hit back, claiming her comments were “untrue”.

But on Friday the union wouldn’t say when it wanted schools taking all students. Nor would it respond to Professor Murphy or the PM’s comments.

A return to school will see stringent new health measures.

In other developments, a new document issued to principals says schools will be forced to post any new cases of COVID-19 to their Facebook account, children will be banned from drinking from bubblers and playground equipment will be closed unless it can be regularly cleaned by teachers.

As well, classroom windows will have to be opened to improve cross ventilation.

Sharing food or lending pens and pencils to classmates will be strictly prohibited while teachers will watch young students washing their hands to make sure they are doing it correctly.

“Young students will be supervised and supported with hand washing to ensure they are practising good hygiene while at schools,” the guide says.

Schools will be given a boost to their coffers to fund a 25 per cent increase in the amount of time cleaners spend at the school to ensure the virus is wiped off surfaces.

In addition to an ample supply of hand sanitiser, disinfectant wipes should be provided to clean high touch areas including desks, chairs, photocopiers and computers.

And teachers will have access to “online staffrooms” to share resources and experience to support one another without making physical contact.

According to the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, 2.4 per cent of Australia’s confirmed cases have been in children aged between five and 18 years of age.

Private schools are currently finalising their plans for students to return to schools.

The Kings School in Parramatta are in the final stages of releasing their plan with a spokesman telling The Daily Telegraph that seniors and kindergarten would be the priority, and other years would follow.

A sign is at Cobar Public School. Picture: Getty

“We are intending to bring back Year 12 as quickly as we can, which is looking like the second week of term,” the spokesman said.

“Then we want to follow up with Year 11 a week later, and our youngest pre-kindergarten and kindergarten as well for parents who wish their children to return.”

“We are making plans to bring back cohorts other than 12 and 11 and kindergarten progressively but we aren’t applying date to that … we can only do that once we ensure our biosecurity measures are all successful and that the pandemic is continuing to flatten.”

Boys who do return to school will have their temperature tested every day, and cleaning measures will increase however specific cleaning measures have not been finalised.

St Catherine’s School in Sydney’s East is returning to face-to-face learning progressively over weeks three to six.

In a letter to parents seen by The Daily Telegraph, St Catherine’s will bring Year 11, 12, kindergarten and Year 4 back in week three, Years 2 and 10 in week four, Years 1, 3 and 9 in week five and Years 5, 6, 7 and 8 in week 6.

Boarding will also resume progressively.

Parents will not be allowed on site, temperatures will be checked every day, and all large gatherings such as assemblies will be cancelled.

Santa Sabina College in Strathfield is applying a progressive system for returning to school, with some groups returning for a few days a week and others the full term.

Year 12 will return to campus in week three for five days a week continuing for the rest of the term.

Years 6 and 7 will return in week 3 for two days, and the rest of the school will return in week four also four two days a week. This will be increased until everyone is full time in week six.

“I would also ask that parents check their children’s temperature prior to sending them to school every day,” Principal Paulina Skerman said in a letter to parents.

“If they have a fever or are unwell, I ask that they do not attend the College.

“Students will be met at the gate on their arrival in the mornings and will be expected to use hand sanitiser before entering the grounds.”

Barker College is combining the remaining three terms into two, and school holidays are extended to May 10th, with online learning resuming on the 11th. Return to face-to-face teaching is still being finalised.