Coronavirus: Parents deserve the truth on the danger of lockdowns

Mental health reports revealing the catastrophic impact of lockdowns on teenagers are being kept secret from the public by the Andrews government. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Paul Jeffers

The Andrews government is engaged in a deliberate and dangerous cover-up of critical mental health data that Victorians — especially parents of teenagers — deserve to see.

We know this because the government is refusing to release regular reports compiled by the Victorian Agency for Health Information detailing an explosion in mental health cases including eating disorders, suicidal ideation and self-harm treated by hospitals, psychiatrists and GPs.

So concerned is the government about keeping this data from Victorians that the VAHI’s report covering February and March this year included this warning to doctors:

“This report is provided to you as an authorised recipient. by accessing this report, you agree to keep the information confidential . If you have received this report in error, please destroy it.”

The Australian has obtained two VAHI reports, including the 47-page “destroy it” report which confirm what many mental health experts, GPs and parents fear about the pandemic-lockdown linked crisis.

The report reveals soaring numbers of teenagers are self-harming, ­battling suicidal thoughts and suffering eating disorders.

The VAHI reports note “significant variances” on pre-coronavirus levels across key psychiatric categories. Among the most alarming findings were:

In the six weeks to March 28, average weekly emergency department presentations for children and teenagers, aged up to 17, was running at 319, a 27 per cent increase on the 251 cases for the same ­period in 2020.

The number of teenagers rushed to hospital after self-harming and suffering suicidal thoughts spiked by 51 per cent, rising from a weekly average of 98 in 2020 to 148 this year.

The reports confirm that teenage girls are among the hardest hit by the lockdown, and suggest girls aged 12 and above are battling a wave of serious eating disorders. The six-week average to February 28 saw known patient treatment numbers jump from 279 in 2020 to 352 this year, an ­increase of 26 per cent.

The number of new eating disorder cases in the same period ­increased by 34 per cent, rising from a weekly average of 654 in 2020 to 878 in 2021.

On Monday, The Australian revealed Victorian Coroners Court data showing that eight teenage girls took their own lives in the first seven months of 2021. Professor Patrick McGorry has described what’s happening in our suburbs as a “shadow pandemic”.

Mental health experts believe the public deserves to see the VAHI reports. We know this government says it is committed to building a modern and responsive mental health system off the back of a royal commission and billions of dollars in extra funding.

So why doesn’t the government release the VAHI reports?

Some child mental health experts believe the data is being kept secret because the government fears if the public knew the full impact of lockdown on teenagers it risks undermining support, or at least compliance, with lockdowns.

They say until the data is released and the community understands the full mental health impact, not enough will be done by authorities to address the problem, and therefore the secrecy compounds the crisis.

This secrecy is a fundamental abuse of authority by the Andrews government. Victorians should be trusted with this information. After all, it belongs to them.