ABC’s Leigh Sales fires up over ‘disturbing’ cost of Covid-19 rules

Leigh Sales has fired up about the “disturbing” impact of Covid-19 restrictions on children, with her comment stirring up some controversy online.

Leigh Sales has copped backlash online after calling out the “disturbing” impact of Covid rules on Australian children.

On Friday morning, the ABC 7.30 host shared an article about the impact lockdowns and Covid restrictions have had on children’s mental health.

“The disturbing cost kids continue to pay for Australia’s Covid policies when they have always had minimal risk themselves of serious illness from Covid,” she wrote on Twitter above a link to The Sydney Morning Herald article.

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The disturbing cost kids continue to pay for Australia’s covid policies when they have always had minimal risk themselves of serious illness from covid.https://t.co/QLdoB8cDkV

— Leigh Sales (@leighsales) February 17, 2022

The article states young people are “suffering anxiety, insomnia and developmental delays believed to be linked to the pandemic”.

Sydney paediatrician and president-elect of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), Dr Jacqueline Small, told the publication she had noticed a recent rise in children presenting with developmental delays.

Dr Small said while some children have coped well with the changed brought about by the pandemic, there are other cases where the “loss of learning is very significant”.

While children have as much chance of catching the Covid-19 virus as anyone else, they are less likely to experience severe illness, with many exhibiting no symptoms at all.

However, there have still been a number of cases where children have been hospitalised or died as a result of the virus.

Dr Small noted that because the impacts of Covid-19 are typically more severe in adults, children’s wellbeing had taken “a back seat”.

Sales’ commentary on the article prompted some backlash from other Twitter users, with many pointing out that Australia’s Covid policies have been about keeping Australians safe, including children.

7.30 host Leigh Sales hit out at ‘disturbing’ Covid policies impacting Aussie kids. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

“Australia’s Covid policies saved tens of thousands of lives – primarily before vaccines were available. Covid can kill kids – and it continues to kill their parents and grandparents. How many deaths is acceptable?” one commenter asked.

Another user, Rachel Edmonds, said the suggestion children weren’t being put first is “insulting”.

“My kid may have been okay but his disabled parents aren’t. I’m now more disabled thanks to long Covid. I can’t pick up my two year old,” she wrote.

“The accusation that parents haven’t put their kids first in this is frankly insulting. Their wellbeing is tied to ours.”

Another person added: “Blaming Covid policies and not the pandemic itself is like blaming seat belts for car crash injuries.”

Many also pointed out that schools were still open throughout lockdowns, but that learning just had to continue in a different format and, while home learning came with difficulties, it was better than letting the virus run rampant.

“Children may have less risk of serious illness than adults. That is not a sensible reason for opposing measures to deal with Covid,” one commenter said.

“Have you considered the mental health impact of children losing their parents?”

Another wrote: “Losing your parent or grandparent because they brought it home would have be pretty traumatic too.”

Health professionals have raised concerns about the ongoing impacts the pandemic could have on children’s mental health. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

The RACP have now launched the Kids Covid Catch Up Campaign, which calls on all political parties to commit to children’s health and wellbeing to be a top priority for the pandemic recovery.

The group wants whoever wins the next election to appoint a National Chief Paediatrician to provide clinical leadership on child health and wellbeing issues across Australia.

President and Respiratory Physician, Professor John Wilson, said there is “a lot at stake if we don’t get this right”.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has also amplified existing inequalities across our communities, impacting children from low socio-economic backgrounds, First Nations children, children from culturally diverse backgrounds, children with disability and children experiencing family violence,” he said.

Dr Small said some of the long term impacts of the pandemic on children were still yet to be realised.

“Whether it’s the loss of learning from missed face-to-face teaching, the emotional impact of reduced social connection with their peers, or the lack of access to sport, recreational, and cultural activities, the Covid-19 pandemic has overturned many parts of children’s lives,” she said.

“There is an urgent need for a national recovery plan to help the nation’s children catch up from the setbacks of the Covid-19 pandemic.”