Medical experts urge federal government to establish a plan to reopen schools

Leading experts are calling for a roadmap to prioritise face-to-face learning and for priority vaccines io be introduced for all school staff.

Leading medical experts are calling on the federal government to develop a plan to reopen schools, warning the lockdowns are harming children’s development and their mental and wellbeing.

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians says the national cabinet must create a roadmap to prioritise face-to-face learning for students in the context of the Delta variant, which includes priority vaccines for all school staff.

The national guidelines would provide states and territories with a best-practice approach and ensure that school closures are minimised during the pandemic.

More than one million Victorian students have lost up to two terms of face-to-face learning – more than in any other state – since the start of the pandemic.

RACP president Professor John Wilson said while lockdowns were necessary in some high-risk locations in Victoria and NSW, the impacts of school closures came at a “great cost” to children’s development and their mental and physical wellbeing.

“We’re seeing rising mental health issues in children which is deeply concerning,” Prof Wilson said.

Anna, 11, Tom, 7, Fred, 7 and Emily, 9 all do their remote learning at the dining table. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“The impact of school closures is also far greater for children from lower socio-economic backgrounds, children living with disabilities, and in families where children are exposed to domestic violence,’ he said. Prof Wilson said there needed to be a nationally consistent approach to keep children and teachers safe, while also minimising school closures.

“We believe this requires national guidelines to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 transmission in schools including masks for certain age groups, ventilation of classrooms including HEPA filters, staggered school starts, and physical distancing where possible.”

On Wednesday, new NAPLAN data revealed that results have not yet “significantly suffered” because of lockdowns but authorities said “this does not mean there has been no impact on specific students or demographic groups”.

Speaking at Royal Children’s Hospital online panel on children’s mental health yesterday, Dr Ric Haslam said “lots of young people have lost motivation for learning”.

“It’s a very common problem for kids to have a degree of lack of motivation,” the RCH mental health director said.

“No doubt some kids will struggle more than others.”

But he was optimistic about kids’ resilience once school returns, and encouraged parents to give themselves “a little bit of leeway” when it came to what they could achieve at home. “We’re coming towards the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “Our kids in just about every case will come through this.

“They will have missed out on things but they will have also gained things.”

When asked by a parent how to deal with children’s anxiety about catching Covid at school, panellist Prof Harriet Hiscock, a paediatrician, offered some reassuring words.

She said “we’re finally starting to get a plan for returning” and it may involve more mask wearing and vaccinations.

“I would urge you, if your child is eligible for vaccination, sign up and get your child vaccinated,” she said.

She said parents can reassure their children “the majority of kids who do get Covid are absolutely fine” and focus on the basic things like hands washing and not going into school while sick.

Prof Hiscock said there was a “sense of burnout” among parents in this sixth lockdown.