Fears lack of swimming lessons could lead to spike in post lockdown drowning deaths
Thousands of children missing out on vital learn-to-swim lessons due to lockdown could be in danger come summer, a swim teacher has warned, also revealing why the full consquences may not be seen for years to come.
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Lost swimming lessons during lockdown could see a massive spike in drowning deaths, a Banyule swim instructor has warned – with the full impact not felt for a decade.
Learn to Swim Victoria director Joanne Love said with classes shut down, including those at the Heidelberg centre, children were missing out on life saving swimming skills.
Walking or playing near water was the most common trigger for drowning incidents, according to the Life Saving Victoria Victorian Drowning Report 2018/19.
The same report found unintentional water entry, such as slips, trips or falls near a pool, accounted for almost half the fatal drowning incidents that year.
Ms Love said the basic skills of staying afloat and being able to reach the edge of a pool were taken for granted.
“Even the ones that were doing swimming lessons, having this long period off is going to cause issues,” she said.
“If they were on the cusp of swimming, the majority will go backwards.”
“At the moment backyard pools are the biggest killers of children and it will be interesting to see what those numbers are like this summer.”
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Ms Love said the full effect might not be seen for a number of years, when children who missed important lessons now were deemed old enough to swim without parental supervision.
Private swim schools shut down on March 23 when the state entered stage 3 restrictions.
But while the rest of the state gears up to reopen their doors, there’s no indication on when their forgotten industry will be allowed to restart.
A spokesman for Sport Minister Martin Pakula did not say when swim schools were scheduled to open but said they would have more information on June 1.