Teachers make desperate plea for students to wear masks in classroom as Covid-19 cases soar in Western Australia

A teachers union has made a desperate plea to parents and children as Covid-19 cases surge, but the government is doing little to help.

The State School Teachers Union is urging parents to ensure their children wear a mask as term three begins across Western Australia and Covid-19 infections soar.

Masks are not mandated in schools but union president Pat Byrne says teachers are at high risk of infection.

“We know that masks don’t eliminate all of the problems but they do significantly reduce risk,” she told 6PR Radio on Tuesday.

“I think to look after each other, to look after their teachers, their friends, that this would be a good thing to do.”

Masks are not mandated in schools but State School Teachers Union president Pat Byrne says teachers are at high risk of infection. Picture: Generic

Both Premier Mark McGowan and Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson have repeatedly said they would “strongly encourage” mask wearing indoors and in crowded places, including schools — and would lead by example by masking up themselves — but would not broadly mandate it.

Masks are only mandated in WA health and aged care facilities, as well as on public transport and ride share services.

But Ms Byrne said that was not good enough.

“It’s much more preferable, I think, to have a public health approach, if you like, with a strong public health message, rather than hoping that individuals will do the right thing,” she said.

Ms Byrne noted schools had had significant absenteeism among staff and students in the first half of the year due to Covid-19.

“We know that that is going to continue ... compounded by the flu, the rates of absenteeism are going to continue to be high,” she said.

“Our concern is that is significant disruption to both children’s learning, but also to teachers’ health and wellbeing as well, and we would like to see whatever can be done to minimise that happening.”

WA Premier Mark McGowan says he will lead by example by wearing a mask. Picture: Matt Jelonek/Getty Images

It comes as WA continues to hit unwanted new milestones in the pandemic, with soaring case numbers and hospitalisations.

WA Health reported a total of 6815 new infections overnight, taking the total number of active cases to 36,491.

There are now 455 people with Covid-19 in hospital, including 20 in intensive care.

Three more deaths have also been reported — two women aged in their 90s and a man aged in his 80s.

WA has a third dose vaccination rate of 83.4 per cent, while 20.3 per cent of people have now had their fourth jab.

Ms Sanderson revealed on Monday that she suspected there were more cases in the community that were going undetected.

People are urged to get vaccinated. Picture: Tony McDonough/NCA NewsWire

Mr McGowan on Tuesday admitted he did not want to “lose people’s support” by enforcing a broader mask mandate.

“The best thing people can do is early testing and isolation. In other words, RAT test and isolate if positive,” he told reporters.

“The advice we have is that there will be a 53 per cent reduction in infections if everyone was doing a RAT test if they are a close contact or sick, and isolating if positive ... that’s why we provide free RAT tests.”

The Premier also reiterated that people were encouraged to wear a mask in indoor, crowded places.

“We think there’s a lot of people out there now who are pretty blasé about it and that’s probably understandable — it’s gone on for nearly three years,” he said.

“But if you go out and you’re positive and you spread it in your workplace, it’s going to mean more people in your workplace are furloughed and off work.

“It’s going to affect our hospitals, it’s going to affect employment, the economy — all those things.”

Originally published as Teachers make desperate plea for students to wear masks in classroom as Covid-19 cases soar in Western Australia